In Fire And Starlight
by Babydoll4414
Summary: Natsu spent his childhood hearing stories about the princess of the stars, and how when he finally met her, she would love him regardless of the fact he was a demon. Lucy spent her childhood hearing stories about the demon named E.N.D. The evil being that killed her mother and the reason she spent her life hiding.
1. Prologue

Smoke filled her lungs and fire kissed her skin as Layla Heartfilia ran through the burning castle with her child in her arms. She had to find a way out... before he found them. Her lungs burned as she struggled to take in enough oxygen, coughing from the smoke that she inhaled instead.

She knew he would find them eventually, she just didn't think it would be so soon. She was unprepared and this was the price to pay. Debris fell around her and embers floated through the air. She could feel her shoulder becoming wet with the tears of her terrified daughter. She wanted to console her but couldn't spare the energy... besides, it would do her no good now anyway.

Still Layla ran, she ran through the halls and down the stairs. She ran past the burned corpses of the servants and staff, gagging as the smell of chard flesh hit her flared nostrils. She dodged burning wood and falling brick as the structure of the castle weakened with each second. She was running on borrowed time.

Time be damned, she would borrow and cheat and take any time she could if it meant getting Lucy out safely. Her precious Lucy. Why did he have to want her. Of all the people in the world, why her daughter? Oh well. It didn't matter now. She wouldn't give Lucy to him before and she wouldn't now. Her daughter would survive this... Even if she didn't.

Finally Layla made it out of the castle. Now she just needed to get to the lake in the woods, then she could summon Aquarius to take Lucy far away. If she could just make it without him catching them, Lucy would be safe.

So Layla ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran through the trees and shrubs and bushes. She didn't pause when branches cut her face or whipped her legs. She nearly tripped over roots from the bigger trees but regained her footing and kept running. All while the child in her arms sobbed quietly.

"I'm scared mumma".

"I know baby, but I will keep you safe. I promise". Layla's lungs burned from running and the inhalation of smoke, talking did not help but she had to try and comfort Lucy. Even if it was hopeless now.

Her husband was dead. He had bravely gone to try and hold off the attack, to give Layla and Lucy time to run. He hadn't even lasted a minute.

As soon as Layla reached the lake she wasted no time in summoning her only spirit. She would be Lucy's spirit now.

"Open gate of the water bearer!".

The mermaid appeared with a look of concern plastered on her normally angry face.

"What happened?"

"Aquarius, I need you to take Lucy and swim away, as far as you can! Go somewhere safe where nobody will know who she is and watch out for her, can you do that for me?".

The blue haired spirit nodded, reaching out her arms to take hold of the small child. Her normally harsh demeanour suddenly gentle.

"Mumma! You're coming too right". Lucy sobbed with tear filled eyes.

"I'm afraid not my dear, this is an adventure you and Aquarius need to take together... I love you so much" Layla placed a single key in the small child's hand and kissed her forehead before looking again at the spirt " Now go".

"I promise I will take care of her".

Aquarius quickly swam away with the crying child in her arms, using magic of the waves to make them go quickly and being careful to make sure the child got enough oxygen.

Layla watched as her only child disappeared. Then she heard him clicking his tongue.

"You will never find her". Layla tried to make her voice strong. Lucy had gotten away, whatever happened now did not matter as long as her daughter was safe.

"Oh I will and when I do she will finally fulfill the destiny I have planned for her". The demon spoke with a cocky tone.

"I don't know what destiny you think she will have but it will have nothing to do with you, she is the princess of the stars and you...are demonic scum". She spat the last part of the sentence with as much venom as she could manage.

"It's King demonic scum to you thank you very much" the dark haired demon smirked " besides, it's not me that I want her for. It's my brother".

"E.N.D" Layla gasped. Not him, she had heard the stories of the demon child. Evil stories that made her sick to think about. He was as young as Lucy but he was vicious and had a bad temper. He could never be allowed near Lucy.

"He prefers to be called Natsu, E.N.D is so formal" The demon waved his hand casually "Can you imagine it Layla? The prince of demons and the princess of the stars, having a child together! Imagine the power that child would have!". Zeref the demon king laughed manically with his hands raised above his head and a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"A wise man once said that absolute power corrupts absolutely. You will never have my Lucy and neither will your brother".

"I hope so, sounds like a blast... And yes, my brother will have Lucy, the moment she is of breeding age he will come for her. But don't worry, he will take good care of her, I'll make sure of it personally... because Layla, I really do care about you so much".

Without another word Layla's body fell to the ground with a small thud, completely lifeless with the mighty Zeref looking down at her laughing.

"Caring really does kill, doesn't it my dear?". His laughter didn't cease as he spoke.

Then he vanished into thin air, leaving Layla's corpse in the dirt of the forest, even death not erasing the worried look in her now unseeing eyes.

* * *

A/N

I do not own fairytail or any charecters from fairytail. I own nothing but the plot.

Please R/R follow/favorite if you like the story and want to see where it goes! Thankyou for reading.


	2. Chapter 1

"Natsu! Its time for bed now!". The king of all evil yelled as his pink haired younger brother jumped from pillow to pillow, each one thrown on his bedroom floor. The little boy calmed down immediately after hearing his brothers stern voice and layed down.

"Zeref?" Natsu asked in an uncertain voice while pulling the blankets over himself.

"Mmm?"

"How come none of the other kids like me?" The small child looked up with an expression of sadness.

"Because you're a demon Natsu".

"But why does that make them not like me?".

"Because they fear you... and they should, you will be very powerful one day. If they fear you enough they will respect you".

"I don't want them to fear me! I want them to like me!" The small child argued with tears starting to form in his eyes. Zeref's heart clenched for his little brother. He remembered feeling exactly like that once until... until Mavis came along. Maybe that little Heartfilia girl would become Natsu's Mavis. The start would be rocky but she was the princess of the stars, Natsu's only equal.

"Well one day you will not only have a friend, you will have a wife". He consoled his brother.

"Yeah right, who would want to be with a demon huh? Nobody even wants to be friends with one!" Natsu scoffed but Zeref didn't miss the look of hope that flickered in his eyes.

"I'm serious! I've already found her for you! She will be yours one day".

"Really? Tell me a story about her". Natsu smiled, tears now gone from his eyes.

"A story huh? Well i'll make you a deal, I will tell you are story if you promise to go straight to sleep".

Natsu nodded eagerly in response, clearly wanting to hear more.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lucy. She was the princess of the stars. She had golden hair and eyes that looked like honey and sparkled like the stars themselves. From a young age it was determined that her destiny was to be with the prince of the demons. One day when they got older the prince's older brother collected her and took her to the young prince. The young prince was nervous but the young princess did not care that he was a demon. She didn't flinch at his horns, she didn't shutter at his teeth. She adored his wings and traced the markings along his arms with her finger. She did not fear him, she loved him. She seen his inner kindness instead of his outer roughness. They lived for eternity together and had children together..."

"How many children?" Natsu interrupted.

"How many do you want?".

"Mmmm... thirty three". Natsu giggled.

"Fine. They had thirty three children together, powerful children with power from both the light and the darkness. And they lived happily ever after". Zeref looked fondly at his little brother, who had a dreamy and excited look in his eyes.

"When are you bringing her to me?".

"When your older".

"Why can't I go get her myself?".

"Because only I know where she is".

Natsu yawned, his eyes sleepy but still lit with excitement.

"I'm going to take good care of Lucy, I'll protect her and I'll tell her she is pretty every day". He spoke sleepily.

"I know you will".

"I really can't wait to meet her".

"I know, if you want I will show you pictures of her until then?".

"Yes please!".

"Tomorrow. Now its time for you to go to sleep".

"Mmm, I'm going to dream of Lucy". Natsu closed his eyes and smiled.

Zeref hoped beyond everything else that his story would be true. He needed them to have children for his own selfish reasons, but he wanted Lucy to love his brother for completely unselfish ones.

* * *

"Aquarius?". Lucy spoke tiredly to the blue haired water bearer.

"What is it brat?". The mermaid spoke with no real venom behind her words.

"Why do I have to live in this hut?".

"Because there's lots of water around it for me to live in, I worked hard on building this dump for you to live in comfortably. Be grateful".

"I am... but I'm lonely. Why can't I talk to other kids my age?".

"Because we need to keep you hidden".

"Why?".

Aquarius sighed and shook her head. "Its better you don't know kid, ignorance is bliss. Now get some sleep and you can come swimming with me tomorrow".

"I like swimming, it makes me feel like I can fly". Lucy smiled sleepily.

Flying would make her feel so free. She wished she could fly. Far away from here.

She didn't tell Aquarius this of course. She knew the mermaid was just trying to protect her. Lucy often wondered what it was she needed protecting from. She figured it had something to do with whatever killed her mother two years ago. Lucy's memories of that night were fuzzy at best, she remembered a lot of fire and smoke. She remembered the look of terror in her precious mother's eyes. She remembered her mother's final words to her before she was carried away.

Now she was stuck hiding from a threat she knew nothing about. All she knew was that her life now consisted of two choices, either hide or die. Aquarius had never been subtle about the consequences of Lucy being found.

Still she longed for freedom. For normalcy. Normalcy was underrated.

Lucy never voiced these thoughts out loud. Instead she done what she was told, and fell asleep next to the rock pool that Aquarius resided in. It wasn't comfortable but she was use to it. Comfort was for normal people.

Still she dreamed, she dreamed of flying high above the clouds where nothing could ever harm her. She dreamed of flying so high that she touched the stars and circled the moon. She dreamed of having large wings that stretched out behind her. But she always woke up, her wings gone and her taste of freedom swept far away into the land of dreams where she couldn't even touch during waking hours.

Lucy wanted change, craved it. But this was her life. Hide or die. She knew in her heart that years would pass, much the same as the last two did. Still it didn't stop her from dreaming... but it did stop her from flying .

* * *

A/N Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorited this story so far!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Chapter 2

Natsu was pacing his room in frustration. It had been five years to the day since Zeref had first told him about Lucy. Five years of being shown pictures and looking through a lacrima orb. Five years of being told the same story every night, about the girl who would accept him for him.

He had spent most of his time training, getting stronger. He wanted to be strong enough to protect her from anything that may wish her harm.

Every year he asked his brother the same question. "When can I meet her?". And every year he got the same answer. "Soon". Well five years was NOT soon enough in his opinion.

Natsu was turning thirteen in a month. He wanted someone to celebrate it with him. Someone that wasn't his brother or hundreds of years older than him. He wanted a friend. He wanted her.

The one who wouldn't look at him with fear or hatred. He wanted his story to morph into reality with the girl his brother had promised him all those years ago. It was hard wanting something he couldn't have.

He had spent years being lonely. At first it made him sad, now it made him angry. Why couldn't he just go and take her? He was the prince of demons! She was his even if she didn't know it yet. It was her destiny to be with him.

He had watched her for years, seen her swimming and laughing. He had seen her crying when she thought nobody could see her, taking her would probably be doing her a favour anyway.

If only he could find her. Her mermaid guardian put some kind of untraceable magic on the area they currently resided in... and they never left that area.

Zeref apparently knew where it was, but he never told Natsu. So Natsu was stuck, waiting for a future he wasn't even sure would happen anymore.

* * *

Lucy had been isolated for nearly seven years.

Seven years of having nobody to talk to aside from a bitchy mermaid that didn't even like her. Seven years of only ever leaving her hut when Aquarius was willing to escort her and never being able to go to far.

She was done with it. Hide or die. What was the point in hiding to merely exist? She wanted to live. Really live.

She didn't even really know what she was hiding from, she had asked multiple times but never gotten a straight answer.

Apparently some demon named E.N.D wanted her and that was all the information she was told. She didn't know what he looked like or why he wanted her, just that he did. She guessed that maybe it was this demon that killed her mother but she couldn't be sure.

Well she was the princess of the stars damn it! She could take on some petty demon. That was one up side about being isolated for so long, it left a lot of time to train. To re-quip different clothing, to memorize the Urano Metria incantation and memorize every celestial key. She trained her magic, her mind and her body. She learned how to use her whip and she was fast. She was strong. She was ready to take on whatever this demon threw at her.

That's why she had to leave, when Aquarius went back to the celestial realm Lucy would refuse to summon her back. Aquarius wouldn't be able to use her own magic to come out because Lucy wouldn't be near any large bodies of water by then. She felt guilty but she needed to be free.

Aquarius would probably be grateful for Lucy to no longer burden her or take her away from her "new boyfriend" anyway.

They would both be free in way she supposed.

Her thought process was interrupted by the water bearer splashing her.

"Hey brat, I'm going on a date with my boyfriend. You'll be find by yourself as long as you don't leave the hut okay?".

"Okay".

"Well, see you soon".

And with that Lucy was left completely alone. She smirked at the thought. This would be easier then she originally planned for.

She wasted no time in packing the few items she owned. Some clothes, a book, her tooth brush and hairbrush and her whip. She left what wasn't necessary behind to lighten her load.

"Okay Lucy, you can do this". She whispered to herself as she stood halfway between the door of the hut and the outside world. She had been outside plenty of times before, but never alone.

With three deep breaths she stepped past the threshold and started running. Toward her future. Toward her freedom.

* * *

"Hey little brother good news!". Zeref shouted as he poked his head through Natsu's door.

"What?". The young demon raised his head from where he was laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"It's time". Zeref grinned as his younger brother stood from the bed quicker then he had ever seen before.

"Lucy?". Natsu's eyes were wide and he looked ready to jump out of his own skin with excitement.

"I'm going to collect her now". Zeref smiled as his younger brother jumped from foot to foot in excitement.

"Can I come?".

"No, clean your room and make yourself presentable for when she gets her" Zeref watched as Natsu immediately started stumbling around his room so fast he bumped into his bed post "Oh and one more thing!".

"Yeah" Natsu stopped moving to look at his brother.

"Don't tell her your full name straight away okay? She shouldn't care that you are a demon too much but too many humans have spread rumours about E.N.D. Show her they are not true before you go telling her okay?".

"Aye sir" Natsu nodded before stumbling around his room once again. He couldn't wipe the smile from his face.

For the first time in his life, he was going to have someone his own age to talk to. Someone beautiful and wonderful! Someone who wouldn't hate him or try to kill him... and she would be here for his birthday.

* * *

Zeref watched quietly as the young girl layed down in the field of grass. Stupid girl, she had been told her whole life that somebody was after her yet she looked so care free laying there. He almost hated to interrupt her. Almost.

'Well Layla, I guess I won' he smirked to himself as he walked toward the only living member of the Heartfilia family.

"Excuse me miss, I was wondering if you could help me with something?" He asked innocently.

The young girl jumped quickly to her feet as though she was startled but quickly shook her head and smiled kindly.

"Sure, what do you need?".

Within second he was behind her with his arms wrapped tightly around her small frame. She kicked her legs but he was bigger and stronger than she was.

"I need you to come with me, don't worry I'm not going to hurt you". He whispered in her ear and she stopped struggling as she took a breath of shock.

"E.N.D?" She whispered. Zeref could picture her eyes widening in the tone her voice took.

"No, Zeref". He replied before vanishing them both into thin air and appearing right outside his brothers bedroom.

* * *

A/N another thankyou to everyone who has followed/ favorited this story! And bigger thankyou to those who have taken the time to review it!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review if you liked it or if you didn't please let me know why so I can improve

Much love x.


	4. Chapter 3

Natsu was pacing his room, his heart pounding and palms sweating. He looked at the clock again but only a minute had passed since he last looked. Time felt like it had come to a complete halt. He had cleaned his room, gotten into his nicest clothes, then decided they looked to formal and changed out of them.

He changed into his most human looking form. He still had the black markings covering his body and part of his face but his horns and wings were not longer visible. He had been down to the garden to pick flowers, selecting only the nicest ones. He hoped she liked them. Zeref always said girls liked flowers. What if she didn't? What if she laughed at him?

How would she react to him? Would Zeref have filled her in on her destiny? Would she hug him? He hoped so. Even a hug from someone other than his brother would be like a dream come true for Natsu.

He heard the click of his door being opened and turned around in time to see a young girl get shoved into his room, lose balance and fall to the floor. Zeref had never been the most subtle type that's for sure.

Natsu walked ran to her to help her up. "Are you okay?".

She answered him with a swift kick to the chest.

"What was that for?" He yelled from his position on the floor at the girl who was now trying frantically to open his door. Zeref must have locked it.

"Keep away from me! I'm warning you!" She said as she turned to face him and pressed her back against the door.

"Why'd you kick me? That wasn't very nice you know!". Natsu stood from the ground and started picking up the flowers the had scattered around him when he fell.

"It isn't very nice to kidnap someone! Stay away from me or I swear I will hurt you".

Natsu's head hurt, this wasn't right. She was meant to be happy to see him. She was meant to be nice.

"Stop it! This isn't how the story was supposed to go! This isn't right, none of this is right!" He could feel warm tears forming in his eyes but refused to let them escape.

"What story? How did you really expect kidnapping someone to go!".

"I didn't kidnap you! And our story! It wasn't meant to go like this, it didn't start like this any of the other times!".

"We don't have a damn story! And that guy kidnapped me and shoved me in here. Some demon had been after me my whole life! He killed my mum! Was it you!".

"I'm a kid! I haven't killed anyone! And we do too have a story. Zeref probably brought you here to protect you!".

"Demons don't protect anyone!".

Natsu could feel his blood getting hot. He closed his eyes to try and calm down but her words just kept playing over and over again in his head. She was supposed to be different. She was supposed to be his Lucy. This was not his Lucy. He didn't even realise through his anger that his wings had erupted from his back. Or that his horns had come out.

He only realised when he heard her screaming. Calling him a monster.

Was that what he was? A monster. Well fine. If a monster was what she wanted, then a monster he would be.

All his life he had been called a monster, an abomination. She was the only person he hoped wouldn't think that. He would have her, his whole life he had been told she was his. She would be his.

He glared toward her with as much venom as he could manage, it must have worked because she fell completely silent.

"You want to think I'm a monster? Fine. But make no mistake of it, you're mine. And one day you will love this monster, then what will that make you?".

"I would never love you".

Natsu walked toward her, until there toes touched. He stood about half a foot taller then she did but he bent his neck so their foreheads touched.

"Time has a way of changing things Lucy, one day I will have your heart. Whether you like it or not".

Then he turned away, ran and jumped straight out the window, leaving a very shaken up Lucy behind.

* * *

In the depths of the castle Zeref was watching the entire interaction through a lacrima orb. He felt awful for his little brother. Maybe it was foolish to hope that the princess of the stars would be a kind enough person to see past a demons rough exterior. Maybe this was all his fault.

No. He had picked her specially for his brother and after thousands of years alive he was never wrong. She will warm up to him in time and Natsu was too stubborn to give up so easily.

He just needed to give her a reason to trust them. He needed to somehow prove to her that they were looking out for her best interest, even if it was really only Natsu looking out for her best interest.

He could never let her or Natsu find out the truth. His entire future was at stake. He needed their cooperation on this and for that, he needed them completely clueless.

Zeref sat for a while thinking, concocting the perfect scheme. A wicked grin graced his face as he finally thought of one thing that would definitely work. He was going to need another demon. The most terrifying one the king of demons could create.

* * *

A/N This chapter is a fair bit shorter than the others and for that I am very sorry if I have dissapointed you. I've noticed a few people reading this who came from my other story! Thankyou so much! I promise I will be updating "Bound to you" very soon, I just don't want to finish it too quickly. You guys are amazing!

You all mean so much to me, thankyou for you continued support and I hope you all enjoy this story


	5. Chapter 4

Natsu sat at the table in the dining room. He used the word dining room loosely considering the room was big enough to be used as a ballroom in case of parties. But they never had any parties so dining room it was.

Still he sat and waited at the table with lots of food sitting in front of him and a huge cake big enough for the wedding in the centre. He had requested balloons and sure enough balloons littered the floor.

He requested the cake to be strawberry even though his favourite was chocolate. Lucy looked like she would like strawberry.

He waited at the table in silence with Zeref witting across from him, every few minutes he would look at the door. A door that nobody came through.

"Maybe she didn't get the invitation" He looked at his older brother hopefully.

"I made sure she got it Natsu". His brother spoke but looked down sadly at his plate.

"Maybe she got lost, this place is really big".

"I offered to escort her myself, I'm sorry but I don't think she is coming. You should eat, the food looks delicious".

"No, she will come. I don't want her to think I'm rude by eating before she gets here". Natsu spoke while still staring at the door. Waiting.

She couldn't still be mad about him yelling at her. He had apologized for weeks ago. She had accepted when he gave her books. She also had her own bedroom and bathroom. She had everything she could want. Natsu constantly told her that if she wanted anything he would give it to her.

She still hadn't exactly been nice to him but she hadn't screamed at him every time he came close to her. That had to be a good sign.

She would come, she was probably still getting ready. Maybe she wanted to look extra nice for his birthday? Yeah that had to be it. She was dressing up super fancy and she would be running through the door apologizing for being late any moment now.

So Natsu waited. He waited while Zeref gave up and ate. He waited while the food went cold and while the servants cleaned the table. He waited while they cleaned the decorations and he waited while Zeref had left to go to bed. He didn't take his eyes of the door once. He waited until he fell asleep still sitting in the same spot he had been all night.

Lucy never came down from her room.

Natsu woke up a few hours later and walked to his room, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Another birthday where nobody except his brother cared about him.

When he finally got to his room and layed down on his bed he found he couldn't hold back the tears of disappointment any longer. He felt the hot tears pour down his face and felt the sobs forced themselves from his chest. If he was being honest he really didn't expect her to come.

But he had hope that she would.

* * *

Zeref was furious. How dare that little bitch do this. Fair enough if she hated him but Natsu had done nothing wrong. He had given her everything she wanted and only asked her to come for dinner for his birthday but the little bitch couldn't even do that.

Zeref was a selfish demon, thousands of years alive can do that to someone. Even when Natsu had been born he was selfish but after their parents died when Natsu was only a few months old things changed. He raised the infant and loved him dearly. His love didn't kill Natsu like it did others because Natsu was just as powerful as him. So he let his walls down. He let himself grow attached.

The little Heartfilia wench hurt his brother and he would not stand for it. That's why he marched up to her room and forced the door open.

"What do you think you are doing?" The girl shouted. She was laying on the bed above the covers reading. So reading was more important than his brothers birthday?

"Do you know what it's like to have everyone think you are a monster?" He made his voice deadly calm but inside he was furious.

"What?".

"Answer the question".

"No, why would they?".

"Well Natsu does".

"Yeah, he is a demon". Lucy shrugged her shoulders as though it were the obvious answer.

Zeref couldn't help but scoff. For someone who read a lot of books this girl sure was stupid. Insulting demons in the presence of their king.

"Well let me ask you, what makes someone a monster Miss Heartfilia?".

"I don't know".

"Well I do. It is when they can do despicable evils and love it. When they can take a life and feel happy about it. When they can ruin something others see as precious just because they felt like it. A monster is someone who destroys things just because they like the chaos. Someone who would kill and rape and destroy as much as possible just because they wanted to. Do you agree?".

"Yeah? I guess that is what would make someone a monster".

"Then why does my brother deserve to be called one? He has never taken a life, he never destroys things on purpose. He has never destroyed something precious to anyone because he wouldn't want to make someone sad. He had never hurt anyone in his entire life. What makes him a monster?".

Zeref knew he had her when she looked down in shame.

"Okay, he isn't a monster".

"He has been treated like one his whole life. Can you imagine what that must be like for him".

Lucy lifted her head as if to retort my lowered it again and slumped her shoulders. "No, no I don't".

"Well let me paint you a picture. When Natsu was five years older the kids at the village near by beat him up. He could have easily destroyed them but he didn't even fight back. They called him scum. An abomination. When I wanted to retaliate he made me promise I wouldn't because he hoped they would be his friend if they realised they had nothing to fear. They didn't. Natsu has never had a friend in the world".

"What does any of this have to do with me? It's not my fault!".

"I didn't say it was. Lucy we have been watching you for a long time. Ever since you were young and we found out something was threatening you. You are the princess of the stars, if anything happened to you the balance of the world would be destroyed forever. So I looked out for you, that's why I took you that day when you left your spirt. I figured we could do a better job protecting you because we would still be able to give you the freedom she couldn't".

"Why bother protecting me? Why not tell me this before you took me?".

"Because it is your destiny to restore the balance between the light and the dark. If you and Natsu formed any sort of alliance or friendship it would send a powerful message. Throughout the years of watching you from afar I seen a kindness in you, I believed that maybe if I brought you here you could be someone to Natsu. I told him you wouldn't care he was a demon as long as he was kind and that is what kept him kind through all this time. I fear that without that hope he may grow bitter".

Zeref was lying with his everything breath, he knew it even as he spoke. Just as much as he knew she believed every word.

"That's why he was so angry with how I reacted to him... I didn't know". He could see the young girl developing tears in her eyes and had to fight back the smile he felt forming on his lips. Gullible bitch.

"Yes, he had so much hope that he was finally going to have someone care about him... Someone who wasn't me anyway. When you didn't show up to his birthday dinner he waited all night for you until he fell asleep at the table. He didn't even eat because he didn't want to be rude and eat before you got there".

"I'm sorry! I didn't know!" The young girl now had tears pouring down her face. Good. She should feel guilty after treating his brother that way. He watched her as she took deep breaths to calm down. "I want to make it up to him, can we plan another dinner for tomorrow night? I promise I will come to this one and I will even cook the food myself".

"There is no need for you to cook, just you being there would mean the world to him". Zeref smiled his kindest, fakest smile toward the girl who return his smile shyly.

"I wish I could get him a present".

"You can if you like, there is a village just outside our gates. I'll give you some money for you to pick him something nice". If she tried to run he could easily bring her back anyway. Better to keep her happy. She wouldn't be happy if she knew she was his prisoner and pawn.

"Oh, I couldn't accept money". She said looking down at her hands. "Besides, isn't it unsafe for me to leave?".

"Nonsense, it would make my brother so happy to have a gift from you! And I will watch you from afar and make sure no harm comes to you. You are not our prisoner Lucy, you are our guest. Please remember demons are not monsters, some are but we are not. We just want to be treated equally and some of us turn into monsters after being treated like them for so long".

"Thankyou! I really am sorry and I promise I will try harder to be kind ti Natsu. I've never been to a village before I am really excited!". The young girl had a large smile on her face although tears still stained her cheeks.

"It's okay, I hope with time you will think of us like a family. Now you should get some sleep, tomorrow will be a big day after all. I will come get you tomorrow morning to give you some money and show you the way to the village. Goodnight little Luce". He said smiling at the girl.

"Goodnight! Thankyou!".

Zeref shut her door and smiled wickedly. She was going to make it up to his brother, as she should. But he was nowhere near finished with her yet. He still had a demon to finish making, a masterpiece if he did say so himself. Masterpieces took time but it would be worth it one it was finished.

She would love his brother, she would have a child to him. She just didn't know it yet. She wouldn't until it was to late.

"Sleep well Miss Heartfilia".

* * *

A/N

A longer chapter to make up for the shorter one! I love you all! Thankyou all so much for the follows/favorites and lovely reviews

A massive thankyou to:

Javakitty2 & Valerioux who have been showing continued support for not only this story but for my other story since I first started writing it. Honestly you two are just amazing, your reviews really do make me want to keep writing and be a better writer just to make you both proud. Thankyou both!

Also to answer Valerioux's last review, I completely get why Natsu's behaviour might have been surprising and wanted to give me reason for it so you are not left with any unanswered questions. It was mostly a case of saying something he regretted because he was really mad. He had been expecting something for so many years and when it finally happened he was shocked that it didn't go how he was always told it would. Both him and Lucy are justified , Zeref is a dick and caused all the problems hahah or at least that's my thought on it! I hope this answers any questions you may have had!

Also a big thankyou to CrazyZaika who had left 2 reviews on this story so far! Thankyou so much for your support! Your reviews are so kind and make me so happy

And another big thankyou to everyone else who has reviewed, I read all of them and they all mean the world to me! I hope you all enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it!


	6. Chapter 5

Natsu woke up with tears -now dried- still staining his face. Last night really opened his eyes to how alone he really was. For so long he had held onto the hope that when he finally got to be with Lucy, everything would be okay. He wouldn't be alone anymore. Well she was here now and he was more alone than ever.

He didn't blame Lucy, not really. She had been running her whole life, it made sense for her to run from him too. No matter how much he wished she wouldn't. He just wanted someone to give him the chance to prove he wasn't what they thought he was.

Maybe the kids at the village would give him a chance now they were older? He could always go there and see. What could it hurt?

With that thought in mind Natsu stood up and got dressed. He would walk to the village, if he flew he might look to intimidating.

He dressed in just a plain black vest and some loose pants. Something that wouldn't attract too much attention. Then he left, with one goal in mind.

Today would be the day he made a friend.

* * *

Lucy woke up just after the sun came up, intent on making everything right and happy to having found out that she had her freedom. This whole time she thought she was a prisoner but she was a guest, the least she could do is be a good one. Especially since they had been so nice to her.

She decided to dress in a nice blue sundress. Something casual for today, she would pick out something more formal for tonight when she got back.

True to his word Zeref came early to give her money and escort her to the gates. As they were walking Lucy noticed how beautiful the garden was, she hoped to explore it later.

"I will tell Natsu the plans for tonight when he wakes up, he will probably want to see you when you get back". Zeref smiled as he walked with his hands in his pockets.

"Okay, It will give me a chance to give him his present". Lucy smiled he kindest smile.

"Well stay safe and remember if there is any danger just say so, I will be keeping an eye on you to make sure nobody tries to bring you harm". Zeref as he turned to walk away before Lucy could even say thankyou.

The walk to the village was as short as she was told. About 5 minutes along the path Zeref told her to take. It was a quite a large village, with lots of little shops and houses. Kids were playing everywhere and adults were engaged in friendly conversation. Nobody paid Lucy any mine but she preferred it that way.

The first shop she went to was filled with clothing, she walked straight back out. Natsu probably had plenty of clothes. The second was a book shop. She looked a little bit longer in this shop but gave up pretty quickly. He had lots of books already and she didn't know his taste in books anyway.

The third shop was filled with magical items, crystal balls and ingredients for potions. Lucy looked around for a while before finally seeing something that caught her eye.

"This is perfect". She smiled to herself raising the object in the air to observe it.

"Careful with that, its quite delicate". The shop assistant smiled. He was a short old man with a funny moustache and strange looking hat.

"I'd like to buy this please".

"That is quite expensive, child. Are you sure you have enough money". The old man raised an eyebrow to her.

"Umm I don't know a lot about money, is this enough?". Lucy fiddled with her hands before handing the old man the pouch Zeref gave her.

"More than enough actually, I suggest you get someone to teach you about money though. Someone meaner than me might try to rip you off". The man said while putting the item Lucy selected into a bag with lots of padding and handing it to her.

"Thankyou! Have a nice day". Lucy smiled as she took the bag and walked out the door, ready to walk back to the castle.

Lucy was walking happily holding the bag when she heard something that made her nearly drop it.

"We told you never to come back here freak!" A voice that sounded male shouted.

"Yeah! Why don't you go to the underworld where you belong!". A female voice chimed in followed by other voices agreeing.

Who were they talking to? Lucy started to run in the direction of the voices when she seen it. Natsu laying on the ground, his arms covering his head. Other children were kicking him, spitting on him and laughing at him.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Lucy shouted as loud as she could. Her blood felt hot and her heart was pumping fast.

"What do you want?" One of the boys glared at her and crossed his arms. All the children stopped their assault to look at her.

"I want you to leave him alone! He didn't do anything wrong". Lucy retorted through clenched teeth.

"It's a demon idiot". One of the girls laughed.

"HE still had feelings and HE doesn't deserve to be beaten up by a bunch of people that are probably too gutless to even try and take HIM in a fair fight". She yelled as she moved to stand in between Natsu and the group of kids.

Now that Lucy got a good look she realised that these kids were all ages. Some looked older then her while some only looked about eight. All of them were glaring at her.

"Oh, so you're a demon lover are you?". Asked the boy, he was probably the leader of the group considering he was the only one who ever spoke while the others just agreed with him. Lucy hated him.

"I bet you're this demons whore". He laughed jerking his head in Natsu's directed.

Lucy clenched her fists, and closed her eyes to breath. He blood was burning and her eyes were watering in fury. She had never wanted to hit someone more in her entire life.

She opened her eyes when she felt something sting her face, it took her a moment to realise that this boy had just punched her. It took her an extra second to realise that she had fallen over. Her cheek was throbbing but she moved to stand up, closing her eyes to stop the tears.

She opened them again to the sound of an even larger smack, part of her expecting that she had been hit again.

Instead she seen Natsu standing in front of her, dark flames covered his skin and he was panting. The young boy was now laying on the flood with blood pouring from his eye.

"IF YOU EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN, IT WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU EVER DO. IF YOU EVER CALL HER A WHORE AGAIN I WILL RIP YOUR FUCKING TOUNGE OUT!".

Even after how she had treated him Natsu was still protecting her. Nobody had cared about her that much since her mother died. Lucy stood from the ground, all the children were now shaking and adults were starting to run over.

"Natsu, we need to go now". She made her voice as calm as possible as she picked up the bag from where it had fallen. She really hoped the present was not broken.

The flames surrounding Natsu disappeared to nothing as he turned to look at Lucy. She had never really noticed his eyes before but now that she looked she realised they were obsidian. His eyelashes were short and he had a black marking along his cheek. He was also rather beautiful.

Her thoughts were interrupted by him picking her up her into his arms and jumping into the air. No, not jumping. Flying.

"What are you doing?" She shouted as the flew straight up into the air.

"If we stayed they would have brought out the pitch forks! Are you okay?". Natsu shouted back so his voice could be heard above the sound on the wind around them.

"Okay? I'm flying!" Lucy started laughing as tears poured down her face and she clutched the present to her chest. Natsu held her tight enough that she didn't need to hold him.

For the first time in her life she was flying. She looked around to see the clouds and felt the dampness against her skin.

"Don't you like flying?" Natsu looked at her for a moment with a worried expression.

"It's amazing!" Lucy laughed. She wished she could hold her arms out but she couldn't risk dropping the bag.

Natsu smiled at her. His expression softened.

"Wanna go faster?".

"Can we?".

"I'll have to hold you tighter?".

"Okay!".

Wind whipped Lucy's skin and her hair blew around her face. Laughed until her chest and stomach ached and then she laughed some more.

She could here Natsu laughing too, every few minuted he squeezed her in his arms just a little tighter.

"Why were you at the village anyway?" Natsu spoke through spurts of laughter.

"I was getting you a birthday present, why were you there?".

"I was trying to make a friend, why were you getting me a birthday present?".

"I was trying to make it up to you, you're having another birthday dinner tonight too!". Lucy spoke through fits of giggles.

She had dreamed of flying her entire life. Dreamed of being in the clouds and higher than the birds. She had never even imagined that it would feel like this. For the first time in many years Lucy felt completely free. Free of fear, free of worry. Free from the confines of a small hut and free of whatever threat she may face in the world below.

It was more than she ever dreamed it would be and more than she ever thought she would have.

* * *

Natsu couldn't believe it. It felt to good to be true. Here he was, flying with the most beautiful girl in the world in his arms. The most beautiful girl in the world who just got him a birthday present. And she wasn't screaming at him to put her down or calling him a monster.

She stood up for him, she stood in front of him when the kids were hurting him. And now she was laughing with him. She was talking about celebrating his birthday.

He decided he didn't want to fly straight home. He wanted to savour this moment and make it last just a little longer. He had to keep squeezing her, just to make sure she was really there.

She felt so nice in his arms, so right. Like she was meant to be there.

He wanted to kiss her forehead but decided against it. One day she might let him but for today he would be content with this. This one perfect moment with this one perfect girl.

It was already more than he ever dreamed it would be and more than he ever thought he would have.

* * *

A/N ohhh I wonder what Lucy got Natsu for his birthday... well actually I don't, I already know but you will have to wait until the next chapter to find out!

Again thankyou to everyone who reads this story! Lots of love to you all!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please R/R

Thankyou!


	7. Chapter 6

**_Flashback- 200 years_**

Smoke, ash and thick black flames engulfed the castle in which all demon royalty resided. This was not a problem for most on the demons, however it was a problem for the young human female who the prince of demons called his wife.

The small woman was powerless when the king of demons decided he wanted her dead, and her prince was powerless to protect her. The prince himself had set the entire castle ablaze trying to create enough of a distraction to get her out.

He would hide her, where nobody could ever find her. Somewhere they could live together in peace. He had seen enough fighting and death in the years he had been alive, he just wanted to live peacefully with his love.

Sadly that dream was quickly destroyed when "The King" stabbed her straight through the stomach.

"The King" was nothing but a dirty slur to him now, they were meant to be family but family meant nothing when you were a demon.

"Enjoy her death, it would have happened sooner or later anyway. Your's will be next".

The young prince shook with rage as he held his injured lover. He wanted to kill but couldn't. He had made her a promise, to never kill again. It was the first promise he had ever made to anyone in all his life. His long, miserable life.

Before he had met her he would kill all the time, sometimes out of sheer boredom. He enjoyed the smell of death, the look of fear in someone's eyes as they realized their life was ending.

She saved him from the darkness he had become. Her beautiful smile and caring eyes. She had won his heart within seconds and had held it ever since. It amused him to no end that until he met her he really didn't believe he had a heart.

She didn't fear him, she wasn't disgusted by him. She was kind to him and even when she found out how evil he really was, she had faith in him. She told him he didn't have to be bad, he could choose to change if he wanted to. And for her, he really did want to.

Now, lying in his arms on the stone floor with a hole through her stomach... he had never seen her look so small. So fragile. Her long blond hair surrounding her head like a halo and tears in her eyes.

He could hear himself screaming but he didn't know how to make it stop. He could feel something wet pouring down his face. Funny, he had never cried until this moment. He had seen others do it, but never experience the sensation for himself until now.

Her hand touched his face and it nearly broke him. Here she was, dying and yet she still wanted to offer him comfort.

"Please don't cry, I'm not really going anywhere. I will always be with you". Her voice was weak and soft. Her breathing was getting more and more shallow and she kept letting out tiny coughs that shook her entire body.

"I promise, I will do anything to bring you back". He could hear his own voice crack.

"Please don't kill anyone". Her eyes looked so sad and she started coughing again. Small dots of blood now adorned her mouth.

"What if they try to kill me huh?". He smiled through the thick tears that now soaked his cheeks, he didn't know what else to say. He wished he did, maybe he could say something more meaningful. But he didn't.

"I want you to live okay? Always defend yourself, but never kill unless you have to". Her chest shook and he knew their time was almost up.

"I love you, I promise I won't ever give up on you. I will find you wherever you go and bring you back to me".

"That's the second promise you ever made to me".

"I will do everything within my power to keep it and I will end myself if I can't, just so I can find you in the next life".

"I'm scared".

"I'm here my love, you don't need to be afr..." She died before he could even finish his sentence.

She died shaking, bleeding with tears leaking from her eyes. She died trying to keep a brave face but faltering during her final seconds. She died without a single person in the world loving her, only a demon.

She died scared, and that haunted him most of all. She was scared and hurt... and there was not a thing in the world he could do about it.

He just held her lifeless body and cried. He cried so hard his entire chest hurt and his head started pounding. He wailed to the sky as though it would actually listen. He screamed and roared and held her small body as though it was the only anchor attaching him to the ground.

He had never felt so weak in all his life, he truly wished for death. Death would be easier than this but he couldn't give up, not without at least trying to keep his promise to her.

He lifted his head to the sound out footsteps coming toward him. The footsteps of the person who killed his love.

* * *

Natsu could not wipe the smile off his face even if he wanted to. Although he really didn't want to. The cake on the table in front of him was even bigger than the cake from last night, the food looked delicious. Zeref had just gone to escort Lucy and they would be arriving any second.

Maybe everything just looked better because he was so happy. He wasn't quite sure. All he knew was that this was the best day of his life and it was only getting better.

The large doors opened and Lucy walked through them, she looked beautiful. Natsu didn't pay attention to what people wore too much, but the red, lace dress suited her.

"Hey sorry if I kept you waiting". She smiled at him, her hands clutching a medium sized package.

Natsu didn't know what to say, he had never had a friend before. How did it work? Should he pull put a chair for her? Which chair?

'I'm waiting too long to answer her, she is going to think I'm weird! She is staring at me... I should compliment her! Yeah! Girls like compliments right?'

"I really like your face!".

'Nailed it'.

"Umm, thankyou? I got you a present". Lucy's face was turning red as she handed him the package. Was she okay? Did humans change colour a often?.

"Your face is changing colour, are you okay?"

"Natsu, you are making her embarrassed. When humans are embarrassed they turn red". Zeref chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sorry".

"No it's okay! I've just haven't been to a party since I was really little. I'm not really sure how to act or what to say". Lucy fidgeted with her hands and looked at the floor.

"That's great! I don't know how to act either! If you don't know then at least you won't notice if I get things wrong!"

"Just be yourselves and get to know each other". Zeref shook his head at them.

"Can I open my present now?".

"Sit down first so you don't drop it, Lucy put a lot of thought into it. It would upset her if you broke it".

"Fine. Sit next to me Luce?". Natsu pulled out the chair next to the one he was sitting in and Lucy took it.

Natsu opened his present as carefully as he could. He really didn't want to upset Lucy by breaking it. It was a box.

"Ummm, thanks? I love it, I will use it too store all my small things?".

"Your present is in the box idiot!" Lucy started laughing. Great, he had made her laugh! That was good right?.

Natsu opened the box to see a blue round object, it wasn't quite round enough to be a ball but he hadn't seen anything like it before. He stared at it trying to think of something to say that wouldn't offend Lucy but it was hard when he didn't even know what it was she had given him.

"It's a magical egg. I thought maybe we could take care of it together, it will hatch into a cool magic creature. If you don't like it I can take it back and get you something else".

"So if we hatch it together does that mean we will be like it's parents?".

"I suppose so?".

"I love it! I can't wait to take care of it with you!". This would be his and Lucy's first baby together! And it was he idea! This was the best birthday present ever.

Natsu and Lucy spent the rest of the night eating, dancing and talking. Natsu learned that he was right, Lucy loved strawberries. She also loved reading and had always wanted to fly. He promised he would take her flying whenever she wanted.

She taught him how to dance even though he stepped on her toes a few times.

"You know, before I came here I lived with a celestial spirit named Aquarius. She was pretty mean though".

"Will she come here looking for you?".

"She can't, I have her key. I could summon her but the thought of seeing her terrifies me. She never really liked me anyway, she is probably happy spending time with her boyfriend and not having to worry about me".

"Do you have any other keys?".

"No, I'd like to one day". Lucy looked down sadly.

"I have one you can have if you want it?".

"Why do you have a celestial key!" Lucy had her mouth hanging open but Natsu could see the hope in her eyes. Truth was, he got it for her. He knew the kind of magic she used and so he got it before she even came here. He'd had it for over a year.

Natsu quickly ran out of the room, leaving Lucy on the dance floor so he could quickly get the key for her.

When got back she was still standing where he had left her. He walked up to her and grabbed her hand, placing to key in it.

"Draco, the celestial dragon".

Lucy looked at the key in her hand as though she thought it would vanish. Tears started leaking from her eyes.

'Great I made her sad'.

"I'm sorry!".

"Why are you sorry?". Lucy looked up from the key and at Natsu, tears still trickled slowly down her cheeks.

"For making you cry". Natsu looked down at his feet. He felt so stupid. He thought she would be happy but he just messed everything up.

Lucy threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him off balance. He wrapped his arms around her cautiously.

"This is the nicest thing anybody had ever given me, I'm crying because I am so happy".

Natsu decided he wanted to make Lucy happy all the time, if it meant he got to hold her like this.

"Do you wanna see how a Celestial mage makes a contract with a Celestial spirit?".

"Sure!".

Natsu spent the rest of his birthday party watching Lucy, she summoned the green dragon spirit with ease and the rest looked really boring. Natsu didn't pay a lot of attention to what was being said. He was content to stare at Lucy, her smile was the biggest he had ever seen it. It made him happy to know he could make her smile like that.

Zeref had left at some point, Natsu didn't really notice when but he wasn't in the room anymore. He probably had other things to do. Natsu didn't mind, he was happy just hanging out with the most beautiful girl in the world.

'I am the luckiest demon the ever exist'.

* * *

A week later the magical egg Lucy gave Natsu for his birthday finally hatched. It was alot of work keeping it warm and taking care of it but Lucy done most of it anyway. Natsu almost set the egg on fire once, he was trying to make it hatch faster but Lucy explain that it wouldn't work.

They built a house out of pillows and blankets and stayed there with the egg. Lucy hugged it to keep it warm and natsu done the same. They felt like a real family, it was nice. Natsu loved getting to spend time with Lucy and they got closer to each other every day.

"Natsu it's wiggling! I think its going to hatch!". Lucy shouted, holding the egg toward him.

A blue kitten with wings flew out of the now cracked egg. Natsu decided to name it "Happy" in honor of Lucy.

Lucy made him really happy.

* * *

A/N Thankyou to everyone who had liked and reviewed this story! I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated. To those of you who also read my other story "Bound to you" I promise an update is coming soon, honestly I am just procrastinating with that. The story is almost finished and I want to make sure everything is perfect. I don't want to rush it and considering how quickly I normally update I hope you can all forgive me for taking a little longer this time!

Lots of love to all of you! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, if you have any questions then honestly good! This story is kinda meant to keep you guessing and if it doesn't then I'm not writing it correctly! Please R/R


	8. Chapter 7

Lucy was having the most wonderful dream. Until she felt a certain annoying blue cat bouncing on her stomach that is.

"Lushi! Wake up!".

"Leave me alone, Im trying to sleep you stupid cat". Lucy mumbled while rolling over and trying to ignore the Happy, who was now jumping on her bed.

"Hey! That's our son you're talking to Luce, calling him stupid isn't very nice". Lucy opened her eyes to see Natsu leaning over her with a large grin.

"I'm trying to sleep Natsu, stop being a weirdo watching me and get out of my room". Lucy threw a pillow at him to try and make her point only to have the same pillow smacking her in the face a moment later.

"Hey! I'm not the weirdo here! What kind of crazy person sleeps in on their birthday! Now get up, you're only thirteen once ya know!".

"Just because you haven't shut up about being thirteen and older then me the last seven months, doesn't mean I think it's a big deal. Its just other birthday after all". Despite her words Lucy started to sit up and stretch her arms.

"Come on Lushi don't be like that, Natsu planned a surprise for you and everything!". Happy was now flying around above her bed. Natsu was looking at her with a clearly fake, sad face.

"Fine! Get out so I can get dressed and I will meet you both for breakfast". Lucy rolled her eyes at the pair. They annoyed her to no end. But they meant the entire world to her.

* * *

Zeref looked at the creature he created, finally finished. A masterpiece that was well worth the time it took to create. It's teeth looked like thousands of needles, it's eyes were just slits in the creatures head. Its skin was black and red and its limbs were long and gangly. It was the kind of demon that gave children nightmares and inspired adults to light their torches and grab their weapons.

"Lucy, sweet innocent Lucy. You ruined my brothers birthday so now I will ruin yours. Let's see how strong Natsu really is, if he can't protect you from this... well then maybe your children won't even be worth the time I have put into planning them".

Tonight he would get revenge and test his brother's power. Two birds, One stone.

* * *

"But Zeref! It's Lucy's birthday! You can't go anywhere!".

"Natsu I already told you, I don't have a choice. There has been some suspicious behaviour and I need to check it out and make sure a demon isn't causing it".

"Yeah but can't it wait for tomorrow?". Natsu dragged his words out annoyingly and through his hands above his head in a very over the top gesture.

"Natsu I already said it's okay. Zeref has responsibilities, he just owes me an awesome present when he gets back is all". Lucy smiled.

"You're a gem little Luce. I will bring you back a gift fit for a princess". Zeref smiled patting her on the head affectionately. "Now you two go train".

"Do I really have to train on my birthday? Please I promise I will train extra hard tomorrow!". Lucy batter her eyelashes and turned her lips into a very overdramatic pout.

"I have a feeling you might want to train after you see what Natsu got you for your birthday".

"Hey! It was meant to be a surprise!".

"I really must be going now, you both behave and don't burn down the castle while I'm gone okay?".

"Fine". Natsu and Lucy spoke it unison with their arms crossed over their chest.

"Come on Luce let's go train, after that we can go flying if you want?".

"Yes!".

* * *

"Come on Luce! You can do better then that!".

"I already told you! Draco is a really strong spirit, I can't summon her for too long until I get stronger or I will get too drained". Lucy was laying on the floor breathing heavily.

"How come you summoned that fish lady for so long at a time then?".

"She used a lot of her own power when I was doing that, it didn't wear me out because I didn't need to use much magic. I would summon her but she stayed on her own".

Natsu walked over to her and sat next to her. He felt bad for wearing her out like this, she was getting stronger in her own time. She hadn't been training as long as him and she was a human. It would be tough for her.

"Lucy, I wasn't going to give you this until tonight but I think now is a good time". Natsu pulled the pouch out of his pocket and put it on Lucy's chest. She was still laying down when she opened it but sat up quickly after seeing the silver key".

"This is a Nikora key!".

"Yeah. It's pretty weak apparently... but it doesn't take a lot of magic to summon so I figured you could use it to practice and get your magic stronger".

"Natsu, I love it! I'm going to name it Plue".

"I thought it's name was Nikora?".

"You dope. Nikora is the species not the name".

"Oh, you wanna go flying?".

"I always want to go flying with you Natsu".

* * *

Lucy's arms felt like jelly while she walked to bed, her legs didn't feel much better. Natsu had kept her busy all day and night. He baked her a cake, although he did burn it the effort was what mattered to her. They spent the night dancing with Happy and playing games. It was the best birthday she'd had in almost as long as she could remember.

Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps behind her.

"Natsu, I told you I'm..." Standing in front of her was a demon, but it wasn't Natsu. This demon was pure evil, that much was obvious by the look of malice on its face. Lucy reached for her keys as the creature continued to walk toward her, chuckling.

"OPEN GATE OF THE CELESTIAL DRAGON, DRACO!".

* * *

"Happy? You heard that didn't you?".

"Aye, something isn't right".

Natsu suddenly felt sick in his stomach, he had to find Lucy. He had to protect her. He wasn't sure what from but it didn't matter, all that mattered was keeping her safe. His brother sure picked on hell of a time to go away.

He ran through the halls of the castle as fast as his legs could take him, when they couldn't go fast enough he let his wings spring from his back and flew. Painting were getting knocked off the wall and somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that he was breaking things but he didn't care. He had to find her.

He seen the demons back first, then he seen Lucy with Draco standing in front of her. Neither looked to be in very good shape. Draco was clearly trying hard but as Lucy was losing energy so was her celestial spirit. Lucy has sweat covering her forehead and tears in her eyes from the strain.

The demon got past Draco and took a swipe at Lucy, it's long claw cutting from her neck to her shoulder. Natsu tackled the demon to the ground.

Everything was happening so fast. Natsu could feel that he was getting hit and clawed at but all he could do was try to block and hit whenever he got the chance. His enemy didn't seem to know a lot of magic, weird for a demon but most lower demons magic didn't work against higher demons anyway. This guy was powerful, but he was not a higher demon. Higher demons looked more human.

Still Natsu was struggling, the only thing that kept him fighting was Lucy. He needed to protect Lucy.

He felt almost like it was a part of his entire being. An instinct carved deep into his soul, if he even had one.

Protect Lucy at all cost, don't lose her.

* * *

Lucy could feel the blood seeping out of her open wound. She wasn't at risk of bleeding out but she would be left with a nasty scar.

Still what was happening in front lf her was more terrifying than any injury. Natsu looked as though he had gone completely feral. Dark flames radiated off his entire body. His black markings had covered him completely and his eyes kept flashing red. The past few months she had really forgotten that he was even a demon at all. Now she had the reminder right in front of her.

What shocked her the most was that she was not scared of him, not in the slightest. She was scared for his wellbeing. He had never fought like this before and the "thing" he was fighting was starting to look like it had the upper hand.

Natsu kept talking through clenched teeth, Lucy wondered if he even knew that he was speaking out loud.

"Protect Lucy. Keep Lucy safe".

He looked like he was ready to die fighting for her. Lucy couldn't allow that. She had to help in some way. She could see that Natsu was bleeding. She didn't even know demons could bleed, but he was.

She looked at the halls surrounding her. Old castles like this usually had some kind of weapon as decoration.

She spotted what she needed, a large sword laying on the floor. It must have been knocked down in the fight. She would need to run past them both to grab it, if she wasn't fast enough the demon could give Natsu the slip and move onto her.

'Come on Lucy, be brave. Your whole life people have protected you. It's your turn to protect someone you care about'.

Lucy ran past them and grabbed the sword. She turned in time to see Natsu looking at her shouting as the demon ran toward her.

"No! Lucy!".

Time felt like it had sped up, then slowed down again. Lucy's ears were ringing and she could hear her own heartbeat. She closed her eyes and thrust the sword forward as hard as she could. Right into the demons chest.

* * *

Natsu was in awe. That was the only way to describe how he felt looking at Lucy. He didn't know how she had done it or if she even realised that she had.

He had never felt so terrified in his entire life when he seen her run past them. It distracted him long enough for the demon to slip out of his grasp and run after her.

His gut sank when he realised she had picked up a sword. A useless sword. Swords can't kill demons, not normal ones at least. They hurt but they didn't kill. And there Lucy was grabbing a sword.

He knew why she had done it, she wanted to help him. He just wished she had left him there and ran for it. He wouldn't care about anything else as long as she was safe. It was weird how right that statement felt. It gave him a weird feeling knowing that even though they had only had a short amount of time together he would still gladly lay down his life for hers. It made him happy, knowing he was capable of such a selfless act for Lucy. A girl that he cared about more than anything. A girl who was now proving she felt the same. She was risking her life for his too.

He seen that she shut her eyes when she stabbed the demon through the chest, she was clearly terrified. Did she even realise what she was doing? Or that she was glowing. Her magic, the magic of pure starlight was traveling through the sword and destroying the demon from the inside out. She was stronger than she even knew.

The demon vanished and Lucy stopped glowing. She fell toward the ground but Natsu caught her.

"Did I imagine it or did I just use magic?". She smiled at him. Her smile meant the world to him. He knew what he must look like right now, how he would look for at least another hour... And yet she still smiled at him.

"You were amazing Luce".

"I'm pretty tired, any chance you could carry me to bed? I don't think my legs will work right now".

"I'll carry you anywhere you need to go. You should know I'm staying with you tonight. I don't like the thought of leaving you alone. I don't know why that thing was here and until Zeref gets back I don't wanna let you out of my sight". Natsu picked her up and cradled her in his arms.

"Pffft I just saved your arse... but fine I understand you want to stay with me so I can protect you".

"I saved you arse first". Natsu laughed as he carried Lucy toward her room.

"Let's just call it even and say we make a great team okay?" Lucy spoke through a yawn.

"Okay Luce, sounds good to me".

* * *

**A/N **

**This chapter is dedicated to FireShifter ! I know you have been excited for it so here it is! I hope you enjoy reading it and thankyou again for your messages! They honestly helped so much with keeping me motivated to finish this chapter as soon as I could! **

**I hope everyone enjoyed reading! If you have any questions please always feel free to PM me! (Although I hope each chapter leaves you with questions, all will be revealed in time) **

**Please R/R **

**As always, sending each of you lots of love! **


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N Hey everyone! My longer authors note will be at the end of the chapter, this one is just to say CONTENT WARNING. The second half of this chapter talks about puberty, most specifically the female menstrual cycle. If this subject grosses you out or makes you uncomfortable please skip. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter**

* * *

"I can't believe you hit me!" Whined a certain blue cat for the thousandth time.

"I told you I didn't mean to! I didn't know you were following me". Natsu argued, crossing his arms over his chest and rolling his eyes.

"Yeah but you still did! My head hurts real bad now".

"I'll make it up to you, how's that sound?".

This seemed to get Happy's attention. The kitten had a thoughtful look on his face as his ears perked up.

"How?".

Natsu walked out, leaving Happy and Lucy alone and both sitting on Lucy's bed. Lucy looked at her "son", feeling rather touched that he had tried to come and help Natsu, even if it did end up getting him knocked out.

"Happy!".

"Don't tell me I should hurry up and forgive Natsu. My head really hurts and I only wanted to help".

Lucy looked at Happy with a small smile on her face.

"I was going to say I will help you get back a Natsu actually, but not with that attitude".

"Really!". The Happy looked at her with a suspicious expression. "Why?".

"Well a mother does always have to look out for her son right? Especially a son brave enough to try and fly to her when she is in trouble".

Happy jumped straight into Lucy's lap and cuddled up to her.

"So Natsu probably left to bring you a fish to make it up to you" Happy looked excided at this " But I think you deserve more than just one, so stay on my lap and bury you head into my stomach. Try and pretend to cry if you can and I will look like I'm comforting you. When Natsu comes back I will look at him and say "You better go get more then that" and I bet he will go and bring you back a whole load of fish! What do you think?".

"You're the best Lushi!".

The pair only had to wait a few minutes for Natsu to return and just like Lucy suspected, he brought a fish with him. He stopped in his tracks when Lucy told him to bring more and quickly exited to room. However, Lucy wasn't expecting him to take so long to come back or for him to bring an entire barrel back with him.

'Well that sure backfired. Now my entire room smells like fish'.

Happy forgave Natsu quickly before diving head first into the fish that awaited him.

While Happy devoured way more fish than any normal cat should, Natsu say on the bed next to Lucy.

"Where the hell did you get that much fish?".

"I stole it?". Natsu shrugged his shoulders with a blank expression.

"What!" Lucy's whole posture stiffened. Natsu better not have meant what she thought he meant.

"I stole it from the fish vender at that village near by". Natsu smirked and layed back into the pillows.

"Why the hell would you think that its okay to steal from someone just trying to make a living!" Lucy spoke through grinted teeth.

"Well it's not like I could go there and pay for it! If anyone seen me they would just freak out!".

"Nope. We are going to that village right now to pay for it and you are going to apologize!".

"Why? They all think I'm evil anyway" Natsu mumbled, fiddling with his hands.

"Then prove that you aren't, start with showing that you are not a thief".

Natsu sat up from the pillows but continued fiddling with his hands.

"I don't want them to call me a freak again Luce".

"Natsu, it's not going to be like the other times you went there. This I will be there with you the whole time. If it helps I will hold your hand? I promise I won't let go the whole time we are there".

"Really?" Natsu looked at her with a small smile on his face.

"Really! And if anyone says anything rude to you I will tell them where to shove it!".

"Well... okay, but only because it'll make you happy".

* * *

The walk to the village was as short as Lucy remembered. She stuck true to her word and held Natsu's hand. She understood how hard this must be for him, she knew he wasn't evil. It was time for everyone else to see it too. Besides, she wouldn't have felt safe coming here without him. He was her best friend, they looked out for each other.

"Lucy, everyone is staring".

"Oii! It's rude to stare you know!". Lucy shouted at everyone around her. Some kept staring while others looked away quickly.

When they arrived at the vender he looked at them with wide eyes.

"You! You stole my fish". The man started waving his fist toward them, his face turning red.

"That's why he is hear, he was in a big rush before so he didn't get time to explain. We came back to pay you for every fish he took, and extra for his rudeness". Lucy handed over the pouch of money to the angry man who snatched it while looking at her suspiciously.

Once he poured the gold into his hand his mouth dropped.

"This is enough money to pay for my entire shop, I can't take it".

"Of course you can, Natsu, don't you have something you want to say also?".

Natsu, who had been looking at the ground until this point looked up at the man who was acting suspiciously nice for a human.

"I'm sorry for stealing your fish. I thought that if I asked you would refuse to sell it to me".

"Well, at least you've made it right. I suppose that's what matters".

* * *

Natsu woke up in Lucy's bed as he normally did. At first he only slept in her bed because Zeref was gone, but Zeref had been back for over a month now and Natsu had just gotten so use to sleeping next to Lucy that he kept doing it. However he didn't normally wake up to the sound of Lucy screaming.

"Natsu! Wake up! I'm dying!" Lucy screamed with tears pouring down her face as she shook him.

"What? What's wrong Luce?". That's when he looked at Lucy's bottom half. It was covered in blood, as was the bed sheets and blankets. Natsu immediately started panicking. There was so much blood! What if Lucy bled out! How the fuck had this happened!

"Lucy what happened!". He shouted not even trying to mask his panic as he stood up out of the bed and moved to lift her up.

"What are you doing?". Lucy spoke with her words barely audible through the thick sobs shaking her chest as she swatted his hands away from her.

"I'm carrying you to Zeref, he will know what to do!" Natsu moved to lift her again, this time she let him and he cradled her in his arms. His heart was beating fast as he started running as soon as he had a hold of her.

"It's okay Lucy, you will be okay". He soothed.

"Just hurry please. My stomach hurts really bad". Lucy whispered as she hugged into his chest.

When he got to Zeref's room he didn't waste any time in kicking the door down and rushing Lucy in.

"What the..."

"Zeref something is wrong with Lucy! You gotta help her!".

Zeref took one look at Lucy and clearly knew what was going on. However him shaking his head confused Natsu. Why wasn't he taking this more seriously! Lucy could bleed out any second.

"Natsu, put Lucy down and leave the room. Me and Lucy need to talk".

"No way! Lucy needs me and I want to make sure she is okay. I'm not leaving". Natsu protested as he held Lucy a little tighter in his arms.

"Fine but don't say I didn't warn you".

"Zeref am I going to die?". Lucy sobbed.

"No Lucy you are not dying" Zeref chuckled. " You're becoming a woman".

Natsu started to sit down, still cradling Lucy. He let out a sigh of relief. She was going to live, it would be okay.

"When a female reaches a certain age she goes through some changes. I'm sure you have already noticed some of them". Zeref moved to sit in front of them, he looked awkward but Natsu didn't understand why. What's so awkward about becoming a woman? It can't be much different from becoming a man right?

"One of those changes is called a menstrual cycle. It means you're body is physically ready for child. One a month you release an egg..."

"I'm going to lay an egg!". Lucy shouted, looking rather mortified.

'Girls lay eggs? That's pretty cool, maybe they could hatch another cat!'

"No no no!" Zered started waving his arms. " Umm I don't know how to explain it all properly. Basically females have eggs inside them from birth, when their body is ready for children an egg will be release once a month. It gets release into your womb, which is kind of near your abdomen. If the egg is fertilized the woman falls pregnant and has a baby. If it isn't then this happens" Zeref gestured to Lucy who was still in Natsu's lap. "It's called a period, it is your body's way of getting rid of the egg because it was not fertilized".

Natsu felt rather relieved. So she was not actually bleeding, her egg was. But he had so many questions now.

"Umm does thay mean the baby in Lucy's belly died?".

"There was no baby, an egg only turns into a baby if the egg is fertilized".

"Well how does an egg get fertilized?".

"Natsu, I think Lucy needs a shower. Lucy, I'm going to go and get you a few things to help you so you don't have blood all over you for the next few days. I'll also get you some things to read so you understand better okay?".

"Thankyou Zeref". Lucy spoke quietly, clearly abit embarrassed about what had happened.

* * *

After Natsu carried Lucy back to her bedroom he realized he had a bit of blood on his clothes. It didn't bother him too much, it was apparently a natural thing after all. He quickly changed his clothes then went to talk to Zeref a little more about what making babies while Lucy was in the shower. He wanted babies with Lucy and he wanted to know how to fix that egg to make it happen.

"Natsu, you don't want babies yet".

"Yes I do! I think babies are cool".

"Natsu the act of making babies is for adults. And having babies is a massive responsibility too. Lucy probably wouldn't be too keen on having babies just yet either!".

"Yeah yeah, just tell me how its done".

"Natsu I doubt you have even fully gone through puberty yourself... but fine you want to know how babies are made huh?".

"If by puberty you mean the fact that I have hair in my private places I will have you know that yes I have gone through it and I have read enough books to know that is puberty".

"Natsu having hair is a PART of puberty, you're body had more changes left to go through".

"Like what?".

"Read more books and you will find out. Anyway babies are made when a man and woman have sex. Sex is when a man puts his penis inside a females vagina, it creates a good feeling for them both if its done right and when the man reaches climax he produces sperm. The sperm is what fertilizes the woman's egg and then the eggs grows to become a baby".

"Ohh. I don't think Lucy would want to do that with me". Natsu looked down at his feet. He really had his heart set on having a baby but if making them was going to be like that he doubted Lucy would agree to it.

"I told you that, besides you can't do that until you are older. You and Lucy will have babies one day, don't be so quick to grow up. Just work on your training first, grow strong enough to protect Lucy and any babies you do have".

"Okay, well... I'm gunna go see if Lucy is out of the shower yet. Thanks Zeref!".

* * *

Zeref sat for a while after his brother left, contemplating his next course of action. On one hand if he encouraged Natsu and Lucy to become more... romantic, he could go through with his plan alot sooner. On the other hand he needed the baby to be strong and the stronger the parents means the stronger the child. It wasn't worth the risk. He had waited to long for this plan to go to waste.

He felt bad for his younger brother. Zeref had put him through so much and Natsu didn't remember any of it. It was a good thing that Natsu didn't remember, he would surely hate him if he did. It was better this way.

Besides, this time would be different.

* * *

**A/N**

**Awww poor Lucy felt so embarrassed! But Natsu handled it all like a champ! **

**What is Zeref's plan? And what did he put Natsu through that Natsu doesn't remember? **

**Well I know the answer to these questions but you won't be finding out for a bit sorry! **

**Next chapter will feature a bit of a time skip and also may be introducing a character from the fairy tail team! Who will it be? Just wait and see! **

**A big thankyou to everyone who has followed and favorited this story and to everyone who has reviewed it!**

**This chapter is dedicated to Anna5949 and Imadogperson thankyou both so much for all the lovely reviews! **

**Also to answer Imadogperson's question they are both currently 13 in physical age but due to their lack of social/emotional development they are quite immature for that age. This does get better as they get older and their bond grows and also as they make other friends. Their immaturity is why they are so easily manipulated and why they behave the way they do. **

**I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Lots of love and good wishes to all of you! **


	10. Chapter 9

_The night was calm and quiet. Peaceful. A direct contrast of Natsu's emotions as he flew through the sky desperately trying to find Lucy. He fought the tears that came to his eyes as he thought about the possibility that he had lost her forever. She was the most important thing in his world, the thought of losing her was a thought he could not bare. One that he never believed he would have._

_Yet there he was, flying through the sky and praying to whatever every deity in existence that he could make this right. Just to hold her again would be blessing. One he didn't deserve but a blessing all the same._

_The irony of a demon praying was not lost on him. It was a completely ridiculous notion. A desperate man does crazy things, a desperate demon is absolutely insane._

_He could feel his heart hurting, until now he had never thought of heartbreak to be a literal term yet his felt like it would rip completely in half. If it did Lucy could keep both halves with her, he didn't want a heart if he didn't have her._

_After all they had been through together, all the things they had done and were yet to do he was losing her and it was all his fault._

_He spotted her standing on the edge of a cliff, the place where he had asked her to marry him. He should have known she would go there, she always went there when she was upset. Perhaps she wanted him to find her, however he knew that was unlikely._

_He landed a few metres away from her, not wanting to startle her. She still heard him._

_"Hello E.N.D". She spoke it a sad voice as she turned to face him._

_"Lucy, I'm Natsu". He spoke softly and moved to walk toward her._

_"Don't you dare!" She pointed toward him as she shouted. "Don't you dare come near me!". The tears that started pouring down her face broke his heart. It was his fault she was hurting._

_"Lucy please come home. We can talk about this! We can fix this!". He pleaded with his fist clenched at his sides._

_"Fix this? Can you bring my parents back to life! You killed them E.N.D!"._

_"I didn't kill them! I swear I didn't kill them! Please Lucy, you know I wouldn't do something like that!". Natsu let the tears run freely down his face. He didn't care if he cried anymore, he was losing her._

_"I don't know anything about you. You lied about who you were for years! Years! You killed my parents and then to add insult to injury, you tricked me into falling in love with you. I thought you loved me too! Instead you made a fool of me. The stories were all right. A demon can't feel love at all, only happiness in the pain they cause others!". Every word she said felt like a knife slicing straight through his heart. The worst thing was, he could see in her eyes she believe it._

_"Lucy please... I didn't kill your parents. I would never want to hurt you, I love you!"._

_"You're a demon. You don't even know what love is! Why did you even keep me alive this long! Why me Natsu!". Natsu could see Lucy's body shaking with sobs. He didn't know how to make this better but he wouldn't stop trying._

_"I had no right to want you. You were a being of pure light and I was a creature of darkness. You deserved better and I knew it from the first moment I layed eyes on you. I had no right to want you but that wouldn't stop me from taking you anyway! I love you Lucy! If a demon can't feel love then what the hell does that make me?"_

_He knew that he was shouting but he couldn't help it. His entire body was shaking and his fist stayed clenched at his sides, this was it. She was leaving him and if she walked away, he could do nothing to stop her._

_"It makes you a liar, goodbye Natsu"._

_Natsu watched in horror as Lucy threw herself over the edge of the cliff. He flew after her, hoping to catch her before she hit the bottom. He didn't even manage to get close. All he accomplished was staring into her eyes during the final moments before she hit to rocks below and became a broken mess at the face of the cliff._

_He screamed in agony, the agony of seeing the only woman he had ever loved dead because of him._

_She didn't even have a body to hold while he cried. So Natsu flew up as high as he could manage, before slicing his own wings off and plummeting toward the rocks below. He close his eyes to brace for the impact and..._

"Ahhh!" Natsu sat up in bed, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked beside him and seen Lucy rubbing her eyes confused.

"Bad dream?" She spoke through a yawn.

"Yeah, you could say that". Natsu's whole body felt sweaty. Was that some weird vision of the future? Lucy still didn't know he was E.N.D and she had now been here just shy of three years. Zeref had told him never to tell Lucy and there was clearly a reason for it. If he told her would she react like that? Or would she only react that way if she found out on her own? His head was spinning and he could feel warm tears starting to leak from his eyes.

"Natsu, do you wanna talk about it?". Lucy touched his arm in a comforting gesture.

"Not right now, will you let me hold you Luce?". He needed to touch her, to hold her. To never let her go.

"Okay, if that'll make you feel better. You sure you don't want me to hold you?".

"No. I just really need to hold you right now".

They adjusted their position and Natsu hugged Lucy from behind. She fell back to sleep rather quickly but Natsu didn't. He stayed awake thinking of his nightmare and how to make sure that it never came to be.

* * *

Zeref paced his room, just as he had many nights before. Natsu was turning sixteen in two months. That meant Lucy would be turning sixteen in nine months. Yet their strength had made no significant strides since he sent the demon after them years ago. They had improved slowly of course. Lucy had gotten knew keys and could now summon her spirits for a longer amount of time and Natsu could summon large amounts of fire while staying completely calm. It was a small improvement, but Zeref had hoped for more from the prince of demons and the princess of the stars.

There was also the matter of their relationship, or lack there of. They were close, there was no doubt about that. But they were close in the way that best friends were close, not as possible romantic interest to each other. The slept it the same bed for years and the closest they had ever gotten to behaving as any sort of possible couple was when Lucy hurt herself in training and Natsu kissed her forehead.

It was clear as day that Natsu was in love with her. She was the problem. Zeref didn't expect them to be a couple by now, he knew these things took time and that they were still young by human standards. Just some sign that they at least thought of each other in that way would be nice.

He knew he had to be patient. Demon's -especially ones as old as him- experienced time differently. For Natsu and Lucy, time was most likely going quickly. However for Zeref, after living so many years and not having his love by his side, time dragged by slowly. His only pass time was plotting, planning and researching. His plan could not fail, he refused to keep staying in a world that did not have Mavis in it.

Natsu and Lucy would be together in their own time. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't encourage them. Natsu would be turning sixteen and traditionally for demon royalty, sixteen was the age they started looking for a person to spend their life with. They usually chose and married at eighteen. This was to ensure that there was always an heir to the throne. Zeref himself had waited until he was twenty to marry Mavis.

Still there was no harm in having a few female demons spend some time here. Flaunt a few rivals in front of Lucy to show her that she needs to either chose Natsu or somebody else will. Zeref wasn't stupid, he knew the risk. Desperate men did risky things. Besides, if Natsu took any actual interest in any of the females he could simply destroy them. No real harm done.

Besides, once Mavis was back he did want Natsu and Lucy to be happy. Part of him hoped that they would find a way to forgive him. For all the evils he had already committed against them and all the things he was still yet to do.

He knew that was a stupid hope to have. Even if they could forgive him for all he had done, they would never forgive him for what he was going to do.

In a secret area of the castle was Mavis's body, preserved with Lacrima crystal. Her soul was still around too, he could sense it. To bring her body back to life and connect her soul to it, he needed something of equal value. She would have lived forever had she not been killed.

To bring her back her body back to life, he needed to use the life force of another. A powerful life force. To reconnect her soul to her body, he needed the soul of another.

Natsu and Lucy would never forgive him. Not once he killed their child and destroyed it's soul.

'Oh well, they will have another 32 of them anyway'.

"Now, which lovely ladies should I invite to the castle for Natsu to meet first?"

* * *

Lucy was sitting at the table in her usual spot, next to Natsu and across from Zeref. She ate her breakfast happily. It was a lovely day and Natsu had promise to take her flying later. She had long forgotten the worries she use to hold before she came here. If E.N.D still wanted to hurt her he would be up against the demon prince and the king of demons. She was the princess of the stars but since being here she had felt more and more like a princess of the demons. She remembered where she came from but she also knew who she was now. She felt in her heart that she could be both.

"Natsu, I have an important matter to discuss with you". Zeref spoke in between swallowing his food and taking another bite.

Natsu, who was busy stuffing his face simply looked at his brother and nodded.

"Well, as you know you are turning sixteen soon. Do you understand what that means?".

Natsu gave Zeref a confused look while still not slowing down his food consumption. That boy could eat enough food to feed an army.

"Sixteen is an important age for demon royalty. It is the age where you start meeting suitable females. To find someone to spend your life with". This explanation only seemed to confuse Natsu further. But Lucy knew exactly what Zeref was saying.

It was time for Natsu to find someone to get romantically involved with. Lucy wasn't sure why but she felt like she was going to throw up. Still she had to hear what was going on.

"I will be inviting different females here for you to meet. If you don't like any of them that is completely fine but you need to spend some time with each of them. If you find one you wish to spend your life with then tell me and I will draw up the contact to say that you will be married at some point in the future".

Lucy felt even more sick. Contract? Married? She didn't know what emotion she was feeling but she knew she didn't like it one bit. She always just assumed that one day her and Natsu might be together. Was the story that Natsu had told them a lie?

What would happen if he found someone he liked? Would Lucy have to leave? She didn't want to leave, this was her home. Would Natsu not want to be her friend anymore?

Throughout the conversation Natsu had stayed silent and stopped eating. What was he thinking? Was he excited for the chance of meeting new girls? Lucy knew she hadn't exactly made any feelings she may have had for him known but she figured her actions spoke louder than her words could.

"A girl is arriving tomorrow to meet you. She has quite a lot of suitors wishing to marry her. She agreed to come and meet you before making a choice". Zeref continued calmly. Lucy wanted to punch him in the face.

Natsu stood from his chair and walked out without saying a single word on the matter. Lucy just stayed silently in her seat, if she stood she would probably throw up. So instead she just focused on her clenched fist.

She felt so stupid, for believing that Natsu would one day be with a mortal like her. She just didn't expect for his possible suitors to get paraded in front of her.

"Lucy are you okay? You have been glaring at your hands silently for fifteen minutes".

"Zeref, I can trust you right?".

"Of course you can, you are family to me".

"Why does Natsu need to meet girls? He has told me the story you use to tell him as a kid more times then I can count. He is my best friend, I don't want to share him with those girls".

"Lucy, do you want to marry Natsu?".

"I don't know! I'm fifteen. I never really thought about who I would marry, I just kind of assumed that Natsu would be in my life forever. I don't want someone to take him away from me". Lucy continued to fiddle with her hands as she spoke, too embarrassed to look at the man who she thought of as a big brother in the eye.

"Lucy, it is a tradition for demon royalty to pick the person they will marry by the age of seventeen. I need to can't turn away the females who want to meet him without a good reason, such as him already choosing someone else. Don't get me wrong, if you wanted to be the one to marry Natsu I would write up the contract this second. I would be more ecstatic then you could possibly know... but I can't turn away possible suitors just because you don't know what you want".

Lucy didn't know how to respond, so she didn't.

"Lucy do you want some advice?". Zeref looked at her kindly.

"Yes please".

"Take some time to think about what you want. Picture your future and what it would be like with and without Natsu. You know that Natsu would chose you over anybody else in a second if he knew that you were an option. Take some time to consider if you want to be. In the mean time be nice to the girls that do come here. If one of them did become his wife you would want to at least get along with her".

Lucy contemplated what was said to her before nodding and standing from her seat. She needed to go for a walk to clear her head. She had so much to think about and apparently she was running on limited time to figure it all out.

* * *

"Natsu calm down! You're going to burn down the castle if you keep acting like this" Happy pleaded with his adoptive father who was furiously attacking the wall of the training room by throwing fire balls at it.

"Stupid Zeref". Fireball. "Stupid demon girls!". Fireball. "Stupid tradition". Natsu threw three fireballs in unison before shouting in frustration and collapsing on the ground with his head in his hands.

"What am I going to do Happy? I haven't even gotten a chance to court Lucy and make her want to marry me and Zeref expects me to pick a bride from a list of demon girls! I don't want them. I want Lucy!".

"Have you tried talking to Lucy?".

"She doesn't feel that way about me. And with a bunch of girls trying to impress me in front of her she never will. Zeref reckons some girl is coming tomorrow". Natsu flopped onto his back and clenched his fist at his side.

"Have you thought about scaring them off so none of them want to marry you?".

Natsu sat up with a wicked grin on his face.

"You're a genius happy". Natsu started chuckling.

'These girls won't know what hit em'.

* * *

Lucy had been walking aimlessly through the village for about an hour, thinking about what to do and feeling rather pathetic. On one hand she didn't know if she wanted to marry Natsu, on the other hand she didn't want him to marry someone else either. It was all so confusing.

"Excuse me!" Lucy turned around to see a girl, not too much older then she was running toward her waving her arms. She had short blue hair and was rather small in stature.

'Great, what does she want! If she recognises me as being Natsu's friend and has a go at me I'm going to kick her. I am not in the mood today'.

"Yeah?" Lucy questioned. 'Please don't make me want to kick you'.

The girl looked at her kindly and spoke it a very hushed tone.

"Are you the girl who has a demon friend?".

"What of it?". Lucy was in no mood to be told she was a demons whore. She had heard it enough over the years from various people and it didn't bother her one bit normally. Today was not a day to be making her feel any more emotions then she already felt.

"Great! I need your help". The young girl grabbed Lucy by the arm and started dragging her along. Well the girl at least seemed friendly. She said she needed help so Lucy couldn't just turn her back on her.

The blue haired girl was trying to drag Lucy while running. She had a worried expression on her face and her hand felt sweaty against Lucy's arm.

"Where exactly are you dragging me?"

"It's too hard to explain and I can't talk about it with so many people around". The girl spoke through what was clearly a shortness of breath ad they sprinted.

"Well not that you asked, but my name is Lucy. Not girl who is friends with a demon".

"Sorry about that. I'm Levy". The girl spoke as she dragged Lucy through the entry of a small house.

Lucy figured out very quickly why the young girl wouldn't talk in public. Laying on the floor, very clearly in a lot of pain, was a black haired demon with metal studs adorning his body.

"And this is Gajeel. Please help him... I'm begging you". The girl Lucy now knew as Levy pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"What do you need me to do?".

"The king of demons can heal him. The problem with that is I don't know how to get him there and he can't move on his own. I heard rumours that you come to the village a lot so I have been going there every day hoping to see you. I was starting to lose hope when I seen you today".

"How did you even know who I was?".

"Because... I was in the group of kids who picked on you when you first came here... I'm sorry. Please just help him". Levy continued to look at Lucy with pleading eyes.

"We can't move him without being seen". Lucy spoke, trying to make her voice kind.

Levy looked to the ground with her fist clenched at her sides.

"So you're just going to let him die!"

"I didn't say that! We can't move him like this anyway! I was going to suggest that I bring Zeref here!".

"Please! And please hurry".

Lucy smirked, knowing that Zeref always kept an eye on her when she went out alone. Always making sure that he could be there if she got into trouble. Levy didn't know that but Lucy did.

"Ohhh Zeref. If you could pretty please come here right now that would be splendid".

"This bitch is crazy Levy. She doesn't want to help us. She is calling out to thin air". The demon spoke weakly from the ground.

"Hey! I am not cra...". Lucy was interrupted by a knock at the door. Levy answered the door with a hopeful look and Zeref walked straight in and toward the demon on the floor.

"You actually did it. You actually helped us". Levy whispered. Both girls stood and watched as Zeref starting healing the demon on the floor.

"Well yeah, if that was Natsu that needed help I would want someone to help me". Lucy shrugged.

"Yeah but... everyone was so cruel to you and I just stood by and said nothing. I thought that demons were evil and you were an idiot for trusting one. If I was in your position, I don't think that I would have been so kind". Levy looked at her feet in shame.

"What changed your mind about demons?". Lucy asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"He did" Levy nodded toward the demon named Gajeel. "He saved my life when another demon tried to attack me a month ago. I didn't know at the time that it was a poison demon. That's why he is like this now. I have been taking care of him the best I can but he kept getting worse and worse as the days went on".

"Well, you weren't the one calling me a demons whore or the one who hit me so I suppose I can forgive you" Lucy smiled at the girl. "Besides, we are in the same position now... both of us are dirty little demon lovers". Lucy winked at Levy playfully.

"It'd be pretty great to have a friend who understands" Levy smiled.

"I was thinking the exact same thing".

Gajeel stood from the ground and walked toward them with Zeref behind him.

"Hey shrimp, we are heading back to the castle with these two. King Zeref wants to hear about the demon who attacked you and we are staying there for safety measures until the bastard gets caught".

"Really? Thankyou for your generosity your highness". Levy bowed toward Zeref.

As they walked out the door Zeref winked at Lucy. She smiled. Knowing why he done what he done. Now her and Natsu had two new friends to talk to. He really was the best big brother she could ask for.

"I know a way back to the castle without walking through the village, don't want to give the people a heart attack".

They all followed Zeref back to the castle. Lucy completely forgot about why she needed to go for a walk to begin with as she talked with Levy about books they liked and what it was like for Lucy to live with demon royalty. Lucy just laughed and gossiped excitedly with her new friend. She could think about all her other problems later.

* * *

**A/N**

**I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written! I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Now you all know what Zeref's plan is! What an evil prick! But what else is he hiding?**

**Tell me your theories if you have any!**

**We have Gajeel and Levy folks! They are here at last! Next chapter we will be meeting some of Natsu's suitors, I wonder how Lucy will react to that? Hint: not good.**

**How do you think Lucy will react to finding out that Natsu is actually E.N.D? Please let me know!**

**A huge thankyou to everyone who has favorited/followed or reviewed this story! You all are so wonderful and I am blessed to have such lovely people enjoy my writing.**

**A massive thankyou to CrazyZaika, Javakitty and valerioux who have been here from the very beginning of this story. Javakitty and valerioux have actually been reading my stories since the start of bound to you! You are all blessings!**

**Another shout out to my awesome friend FireShifter! Your messages help inspire me to write as much as possible!**

**Please R/R **

**If you want a shout out in the next chapter feel free to ask! I am so grateful to everyone who reads this story and never afraid to show it. I will say the more often you leave reviews the more likely I am to remember your name when I am typing the authors notes but please don't feel pressured to leave reviews unless you want to! I am already grateful that you took the time to read this story!**

**Until next time! Lots of love and best wishes to all of you!**


	11. Chapter 10

Lucy sat with her shoulders hunched as she held her fork in a clenched fist. She was doing her best to focus on it. Give the insignificant cutlery her undivided attention. Still she couldn't stop herself from stealing a few glances toward Natsu. It didn't help that every time she looked at him he quickly tore his gaze away from her. He had been sneaking glances at her too.

She was trying to drown out the sound a particularly irritating voice, attached to the voice was an equally irritation girl with short black hair and the stupidest looking ears in the world. Lucy cringed as the female demon let out a ring of laughter. Her laugh was just awful.

Still Lucy tried to drown it out if nothing more then for Natsu's sake. He deserved the chance to meet people. It wasn't right for him to be waiting around for her to figure out her feelings. It wouldn't be far of her to expect that of him.

Lucy glared at her fork after another round of the females laughter echoed through the room, the sound was starting to make Lucy consider if a lobotomy could be achievable using the fork in her hand. Not for her, for the idiot with the annoying laugh. Maybe a lobotomy would make her more bearable. The taste of blood alerted Lucy to the fact that she had physically been biting her tongue in an effort not to say anything.

The sound of Natsu speaking made her look up from the fork.

"Hey, Lamy isn't it? You do realise that just not speaking is an option right?".

Ahhh so Lamy was her name, Lucy really hadn't paid attention when formalities were exchanged. However the sight of the young demon standing up from her own chair and planting herself on Natsu's lap worked very well in both keeping her attention and pissing her off. It wasn't that she was jealous, that wasn't the problem. The problem was how physically uncomfortable Natsu seemed. The look on his face made it clear enough that he didn't enjoy what was happening.

"Oii bunny girl!" Lucy shouted toward Lamy.

"Eww what do you want?" Lamy spoke without taking her eyes off Natsu even once.

"He clearly doesn't like what you are doing, lay off. Some of us would like to eat our lunch without wanting to vomit it back up again". Lucy spoke through clenched teeth. Natsu was looking at her with an almost amused expression. What did he find so entertaining? She was only saying something because he wasn't.

'Ungrateful prick'

"I don't think he minds too much. Besides he is so good looking. I wish we were in private so I could do a whole lot more than just sit on his lap".

Lucy had to choke back a gag. How was she the only one at the table who seemed to have a problem with this! Zeref and Gajeel both held expressions of slight amusement and Levy was too busy reading a book to be paying attention.

Her anger and disgust quickly fizzled away at the sight of Natsu picking up his bowl and pouring its contents all over the Lamy's head. The look on her face was priceless as the soup and vegetables dripped over her face and down her chin.

"I do mind actually. You can run away crying now thanks". Natsu stood from his seat and the female who was sitting on his lap fell to the floor with a loud "thump".

Lucy scoffed as she tried to contain the laughter that wanted to escape her mouth. As Natsu walked over to her and pulled her from her seat.

"Come on Luce, let's go play with happy".

As they walked toward their room Lucy found herself bursting into hysterics. She nearly fell to the floor with laughter and she wrapped her hands around her stomach.

"I can't believe you poured your food over her!".

"She was annoying! Her laugh was irritating and creepy!". Natsu whined.

"She really was... still I wasn't expecting you to pour your food over her head!". Lucy shouted through her laughter and struggled to catch her breath.

"Well it worked didn't it?". Natsu shrugged.

"What exactly were you trying to do?".

"Make her shut up".

This response brought out a whole new round of laughter in Lucy. He just wanted her to stop talking? Well pouring food over her was one way to go about it that's for sure.

* * *

Over the next few months both Natsu and Lucy's sixteenth birthday came and went, as did the suitors Zeref insisted on inviting to the castle. It irked Natsu to no end that girls kept getting tossed in front of him. Eventually he stopped trying to tell each of them apart, they all looked to same to him. They all twirled their hair and giggled at him, they all tried to encourage him to touch them or pay some sort of special attention to them. They all acted rude to Lucy and after doing so they all left crying.

It had become a routine of sorts.

Still he supposed there was a bright side to them coming. Natsu had at least become more adept in socializing. After his first few outburst Zeref had insisted on having many long conversations about what was socially acceptable and what was not.

Pouring food over a potential suitor or setting her hair on fire? Not socially acceptable. Calling them mean names? Frowned upon but not as bad as the first choices.

He decided how to reject each girl based on how she treated Lucy. If she was disrespectful, he was too. If she was indifferent, he let them down a bit more easily. None of the girls had been polite or nice to Lucy yet, if any ever did he would show them the same courtesy.

His feelings for his best friend -and future wife if he had a say in the matter- has changed as of late. He use to crave her attention. He innocent affections. Now he just downright craved her.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment his feelings had started to change, he had started to change. If he had to guess it was probably a lot of little moments that led up to it. The day she decided to wear a particularly tight top and he had noticed for the first time that her body was different. He hips were wider and her breast were larger and looked softer.

Maybe it was the day he had caught her biting her lip while reading and found himself wondering what her lip would feel like if he bit it. Then there was the moment he had officially decided to move out of her room altogether, if only for his own self control and sanity.

He had woken up with her body pressed against him, she was completely asleep and although she didn't realise it, she had ignited a fire inside of him. One he was finding increasingly hard to contain. It took all of his strength not to feel her, to caress his hands along every inch of her until he memorized every curve and every edge.

After that he knew he couldn't stay in her room any longer, he could control himself when he was awake but he could not control his dreams... and each dream was riddled with Lucy's presence.

She hadn't asked him why he left and he hadn't given her an answer. He could see a foreign emotion in her eyes when he told her, one he had never seen in her eyes before. He hadn't asked what it was and she hadn't given him an answer. So many questions, so many non-answers.

Still laying in his bed without her, felt wrong for some reason that he couldn't quite grasp. He longed to tell her how he felt, to make his dreams become reality. The more demonic and animalistic side of him just wanted to take her against every surface of the castle until she could think of nothing but his name and the way his body felt against her.

Mostly he just wanted to love her, and for her to know about it.

He had often thought about how she would react if he told her. When he was younger he had been so sure that they would end up together, lately he found himself feeling uncertain.

Lucy's behaviour toward him had changed. She had been spending more and more time with Levy and less time with him. She didn't hold his hand like she use to, she didn't lay on the bed and read a book while playing with his hair. She didn't even ask him to take her flying anymore.

It hurt. It hurt really bad.

"Happy?".

"Aye?".

"Have you ever wanted something so badly, only to find out you may never actually get it?".

"No, what do you want? I can bring you a fish?".

"No, thanks happy".

'I just hope whatever is happening with Lucy stops soon. I want things to go back to how they were.

* * *

Across the castle, Lucy was in deep conversation with Levy.

"I don't know what to do Levy, I don't know how to feel anymore".

"Lu-chan, you're overthinking this. Maybe if you just talked to him about it?". Levy smiled half-heartedly at Lucy, the smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"I can't do that. He doesn't even want to share a bedroom with me anymore! He must have heard me sleep talking or something and freaked out!". Lucy buried her head in her hands. She was losing her best friend and she didn't know how to make it stop.

"I'm sure that's not it. Maybe he just wanted to give you privacy? You are becoming a woman".

"Maybe he decided to start taking this suitor thing seriously after all. He want's to meet a pretty demon girl and get engaged and my dreams just sent him over the edge".

"Lu-chan, Natsu has kicked every single girl who comes here out without a second thought the moment they sassed you! I really don't understand why you and him don't just agree to get married honestly. It's clear you have feelings for him of some sort". Lucy knew that Levy was right, she did have feelings for Natsu. The problem was, she didn't know exactly what those feelings were or what they meant. It wouldn't be fair of her to promise that they would be married one day. Not when she was certain that she would keep the promise.

If Natsu met someone else in the meantime then it would make her sad but at least he would be happy. If she told him she wanted to marry him then backed out or changed her mind... she doubted even he would be able to forgive that kind of betrayal. It was better this way, and besides, it's not like he had shown any sort of romantic interest in her. She was starting to wonder if the only reason he ever wanted to be with her was because he had been told he should be. Maybe he just saw her as a friend, he had never indicated that he viewed her as anything more. It was all too confusing to even try to talk about so Lucy decided to avoid the subject altogether.

"Well then maybe it is just my dreams... You don't understand Levy, they are always so real. They scare me! It's like I am looking at my own future or something". Lucy shuddered at the thought.

"What happens in them that you think is bad enough to push Natsu away if he heard it anyway?". Levy shook her head with a worried expression on her face.

"I die... No matter what happens in the dream the end result is always the same. I think it might be a sign that E.N.D is going to come for me soon. I think Natsu is too scared to protect me and he is trying to distance himself so when E.N.D does come he won't feel so bad". Lucy looked at Levy as some weird expression crossed her face. Like she knew something that Lucy didn't and felt bad about it.

"Okay spill. Has Natsu said something to Gajeel or you?". Lucy said as she squinted her eyes in suspicion toward her friend.

"I can't tell you. Not because I don't want to! It's just not my secret to tell. I'm sorry". Levy looked down at her hands.

"So Natsu is hiding something from me? Why would he do that?".

"Maybe for the same reason you're hiding your dreams from him. He doesn't want you to run away".

"I would never run away from him... Not ever". Lucy said defensively. As long as Natsu wanted her around she would stay with him.

Levy mumbled something under her breath but Lucy couldn't quite hear her. Although it almost sounded like she said "don't be so sure".

* * *

**A/N **

**Hello everyone! **

**I've been having a bit of internet trouble lately so I may be a little bit unorganized with updating until that gets sorted**

**I am so sorry! I promise to update whenever I can! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know your thoughts and theories of what might happen in future chapters, I love reading what each of you think! **

**Lots of love to all of you**!


	12. Chapter 11

Zeref spent his night doing what he normally did, studying and strategizing. Sometimes he felt as though he were playing a game of chess, every action always had a reaction. He had played this game many times now. He had lost each time. This time he couldn't afford to lose. Still, every move he made was a gamble. A calculated risk but a risk all the same.

He had considered just locking Natsu and Lucy in a room, placing a charm spell on them both then kidnapping Lucy until she gave birth and taking the baby the moment it was born. He knew that would not work. For a child to possess the magic of the stars it had to be born from a union of pure love. He needed the child to posses both dark and light magic or it would never work to bring Mavis back.

So Zeref plotted in situations and circumstance. Trying to force them closer together. Force them to bond. However it was taking more time then he had planned. He was growing impatient with their lack of progress. So his actions became more risky over time. He was a desperate man.

All he could do now was put all the pieces in place and pray that the game turned out in his favour this time. He was always shit at chess. Always forgetting to account for certain reactions and only planning for the most likely outcome of each move. Never seeing the big picture. It frustrated him to no end, because it always meant he lost.

* * *

_Lucy was running so hard her legs throbbed beneath her, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't go fast enough. She had one thought in her mind as she ran. The one thing stopping her from giving up entirely and letting the darkness and hopelessness of her situation overcome her. Natsu, she had to get to him. Had to save him even if she couldn't save herself._

_Her lungs burned and her head was starting to feel light but that didn't stop her. Nothing could stop her now. Beneath the tiredness was a fury pulsing through her veins. The fury that could only come from the person you love most being hurt._

_So she ran, uncaring of if she lived through the night. As long as she saved him, that was all that mattered._

_Then she seen him, laying on the ground in the distance. She pushed her legs harder. He must have heard her running because he looked straight at her with tears in his eyes. Bruises and blood covered his face like patchwork._

_"Lucy, leave". He pleaded with her as she fell down next to him._

_"No, I'm not leaving you". She sobbed as she held his head to her chest._

_"Please Lucy, save yourself and leave me here. I'm good as dead anyway". Natsu's voice was weak._

_"No! I'm not leaving you! I won't do it!". She sobbed and shouted causing her voice to crack. This was it. This was the end for them._

Lucy awake with sweat slicked across her body, a direct contrast of how cold she felt. She reached for Natsu but found only air.

"Great another sleepless night for me I guess". She spoke aloud for nobody to hear.

They feel so real. Those awful dreams always feel so real. They all ended the same too, either she or Natsu would die. Usually both.

Knowing she would be unable to sleep Lucy headed to the training room. When the time came for those dreams to come to pass, she would be ready for it. She would be waiting to greet any threat with a smile on her face.

"I will protect you Natsu, I will protect us both" Lucy stood in fighting stance and took a steadying breath "Stardress! Draco the celestial dragon!".

* * *

The room was damp and cold as Zeref paced back and forth. Tears streaming down his face as he paused to grab his hair and pull, screaming as he done so. Nobody would hear him. He was in the deepest part of the castle, a secret place that nobody else even knew about. Nobody who was still alive anyway.

Mavis's body glowed in front of him, preserved in Lacrima. It was unmoving and unseeing. As beautiful as the day she died. Zeref collapsed in front of her and pressed his forehead against the crystal that stoped her body from deteriorating completely.

"I don't know what to do Mavis. I need you. I can feel myself slipping more and more each day. I'm scared".

As usual his plea was met with silence. A silence that made Zeref clench his teeth and punch the lacrima in front of him.

"HELP ME DAMN IT!" Zeref turned his back toward Mavis and hugged his legs to his chest. "You promised you would always be with me, so where are you Mavis? Your soul is meant to be connected to mine, where is it?".

"I'm right in front of you Zeref! I'm here!" Mavis screamed like she had so many times before and just like all those times before she went completely unheard.

"Mavis, I have tried and failed so many times to bring you back. It has to work this time. I can't keep doing this... Each time I try to learn from my mistakes but each time I just make knew ones after being so sure that I am doing everything right. What do I do?".

"Stop. You have hurt them enough. It isn't their fault I am dead". She didn't know why she spoke back. Maybe it was just hope. That even if his ears could not hear her, his soul could.

"It's all their fault that you are dead. The least they could do is help me bring you back".

"YOU ARE DELUSIONAL ZEREF!". Mavis screamed as loud as she could manage. No matter how loud the dead scream, the living can not hear them.

Mavis stood in front of Zeref looking at the body that was once hers. She wanted it to burn. She did not long for life, not anymore. Not since her husband had started committing terrible crimes against nature in an attempt to bring her back. If that is what it took to be alive she would pass. She longed for her soul to be free, she longed for Zeref to die so they could both move on from this life. To whatever waited for them after.

She longed for warmth, she hadn't felt warmth in so many years, death was a cold experience and being a soul forced to stay in the living world for so many years after death, was freezing.

* * *

Erza Scarlett had been many things in her lifetime. A slave, a warrior, a powerful mage -and if her reputation were to be believed- a queen. Titania, queen of the faeries. If she were being honest with herself she really didn't feel like much of a queen. She felt more like a failure, a mess of a human being who hid behind armour as though it could actually protect her from being hurt. The amour protected her body but it could never protect her heart as it cracked inside her chest every time she thought of her greatest failure of all. The failure of being unable to protect the man she loved.

They had both been pawns. Helpless pawns in a sick game.

Jellal, her love and best friend. An innocent victim to the worlds cruelty. He had been sold into slavery right beside her. Forced to cater to their masters every whim. It really was no surprise that after being worked to the bone every day he had gotten sick. That is when they ran, leaving everything behind but the clothes on their backs.

They were only teenagers but she managed to get a job at a bakery in the town they settled in. It was a modest life but it was a happy one. Jellal was too sick to work, his body was frail and he became exhausted quickly. So she took care of him best she could, in a small house that they turned into a home. They didn't have much but they didn't need it. They had each other and they had love.

Erza clenched her fist at her sides as she walked, thinking about what she use to have. Who she use to be before everything fell apart around her.

In a perfect story her love would have healed him. He would have gotten better, but he didn't. His condition only deteriorated as time went on. Soon she became desperate. Desperate enough to go to the king of demons for help. The biggest mistake she had ever made. Never trust a demon.

He had promised her that with her help Jellal would live forever by her side, all they had to do was become guinea pigs. He told them he knew what he was doing. That he had been practicing in ancient magic to heal the sick and bring the dead back to life.

She went first, she went into his test tube alive and breathing, she came out alive and breathing. She came out stronger and faster then before. She had hoped the same for Jellal. Before the demon king slit his throat right in front of her.

He told her that because Jellal was so sick he needed to die so he could be reborn. He would be reborn healthy and strong with all the memories he had before. Lies, all lies.

Jellal's body went into the test tube, it was not Jellal that emerged. It was a demon wearing Jellal's skin. An evil entity that craved destruction and chaos. The demon king had told her it was a pity that the experiment failed but to take him home and try to make the best of it.

She took Jellal home, still hoping that maybe after a few days her love would return him to how he once was. It wasn't until he killed everyone in the town including the children that she finally realised just how badly the experiment had failed. She had to kill him with her own bare hands.

His life had been saved at a cost of his soul, a price they never would have paid had they known.

Sometimes she wondered if she had lost her soul to the experiments as well. She hoped so, it was the only karma fitting enough for failing Jellal the way she did.

"Erza, how long until we get there?" Spoke the black haired Ice mage walking beside her.

"I already told you I am not sure Gray. I know the approximate location of the castle but we still have to figure out the exact location".

She quite liked her companion. He had become like a brother of sorts to her. He had his own reasons for hating demons of course. She didn't ask him questions and in return he didn't ask her. The both knew that on some level they had both been in one of the demon kings test tubes, they didn't need to know the gory details about each others suffering. The both wanted the same thing, their motives didn't matter.

So they walked on in comfortable silence, as they had many time before. Two completely different people with the exact same goal. To find the demon king's castle, then kill every single demon inside it. Ridding the world of one of it's most terrible evils and getting the revenge they both longed for.

* * *

**A/N **

**Okay so I am still having internet trouble but am trying my absolute best to make sure I read reviews and messages it just takes hours to load anything and I am so sorry if I have disappointed anyone! **

**Please R/R! **

**Lots of love and good wishes to you all! Thankyou for reading and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know your theories of where this story is going! I find them so interesting and fun to read! **


	13. Chapter 12

"Lucy, I have loved you since I was a child. The last almost four years of you living here have only made those feelings stronger. That is why I can't lie to you. I am E.N.D and I want you to marry me anyway". Natsu spoke aloud to an almost completely empty room, his blue companion the only one who could hear him.

"You_** love **_her!" Happy spoke teasingly with his arms across his chest.

"Well yeah, I just said that didn't I?".

"Never mind". Happy shook his head and continued to fly around the room.

"Hey I came to you for help not to mock me!" He pouted.

How would I know what to say! I'm technically a child" Happy said smugly, poking his tongue out and landing on the bed in front of Natsu

"Well it's not like I have any experience with this stuff!" Natsu flopped back on the bed with his arms behind his head.

"You could always ask Gajeel"

"Yeah right! Metal mouth wouldn't know love if it hit him in the face" Natsu snorted.

"I don't know about that. Him and Levy have been getting pretty close lately" Happy poke in a teasing voice.

"How would you know?"

"I spied on them."

"Has anyone ever told you how nosy you are?" Natsu shook his head at his "son".

"I have a feeling you're about to."

"Nah, just don't get yourself caught." He shrugged

"Aye Sir" Happy put his hand to his head in a salute.

"Come on, we should get some lunch" Natsu sat up from the bed and stretched before walking out the door and toward the dining room.

The first thing Natsu noticed when he sat down at the table was that Lucy was absent. The second was that so was Levy, which explained why Gajeel wore a scowl on his face and stabbed at his food with his knife.

"Where are the girls?"

"They went to the village for lunch, apparently they are having a day of doing a whole bunch of girly shit". Gajeel spoke in a sour tone, continuing his assault on his food.

"Why didn't they invite us for lunch!" Natsu felt slightly left out. He would have liked to go out somewhere for food too.

Gajeel looked at him as if he were stupid. "You really think that would end well? Two demons going for lunch with two human girls at a village filled with humans. They might tolerate you at times because you are with bunny girl but that doesn't mean we can just stroll in whenever we want and expect nothing bad to happen". Gajeel had referred to Lucy as "bunny girl" ever since she had said it to the first suitor. It annoyed her because she felt as though she were being compared to the girl she called by that name. Really he only continued to do it because it irritated her so much.

"Yeah but an invite would have still been nice". Natsu folded his arms and hunched back in his chair.

"Why? You want them to ruin their day trying to bring us along just to spare our feelings? Face it kid, the girls would have more fun without us there attracting attention. You really want them to be gawked at all day? There are just some things demons can't do, we can't expect them to suffer because of it. They would only grow to resent us if we did" Gajeel stood from the table and walked away. Leaving Natsu to think about what he was just told.

Gajeel was right. Lucy had suffered so much and missed out on so much over the years because of him. She was known around the village as a demon's whore for crying out loud. Would she look back one day and hate him for it? For the fact she could never live a normal life as long as he was around. He could never take her on nice dates. If they had kids then those kids would be half demon, they could never really be a normal family.

They couldn't go to the park for picnics, their kids would never be able to go out and make normal friends. Natsu had been so in love with her for so long. He had always focused how happy she made him that he had never taken a second to think about how miserable life with him could make her. Maybe not right now but one day she would wish for normal. What would he do then?

"Natsu?" Happy spoke cautiously.

"Yeah?"

"You're crying".

Natsu wiped his face to realise that Happy was right. His face was wet with tears.

"What's wrong?" Happy looked at him with worried eyes.

"I've been so stupid Happy. Lucy is too good for a demon like me. I love her, I can't be selfish and let her waste her life with me". Natsu spoke in almost a whisper. His heart felt heavy inside his chest.

"Isn't that for Lucy to decide? She should have a choice in how she spends her life you know!" Happy sounded angry. Natsu couldn't be bothered asking why.

"Yeah. That's why I need to stop trying to get her to choose me. She needs to know she has other options for her life and she will never do that while I keep trying to keep her all to myself. I need to give her space".

"She has space! You are going to make her think you hate her or something."

"Maybe that would be for the best. She can find someone who can give her more than I ever could."

"Would they be able to love her as much as you do?".

Natsu looked at Happy only to see his friend with clenched fist and tears in his eyes. He hadn't seen him this angry in a very long time. When Natsu didn't answer Happy spoke again.

"See! You don't think they could because you know nobody could ever love Lucy more than you do! You are selfish! So worried about feeling guilty or being rejected that you are going to hurt Lucy and not even give her the chance to decide what she wants! It's her life too you know!" Happy shouted then flew from the room, leaving Natsu completely alone at the table with his head in his hands.

* * *

Lucy and Levy sat at a small table in the pub, Levy had said the food was to die for and Lucy couldn't help but agree. After eating her weight in pasta she knew she definitely wanted to come back here. She stood up from the table and walked toward the bar.

"Lu-chan where are you going?" Levy stood up to follow her.

"I'm ordering something to take home to Natsu, he would love the food he..."

"Levy! It's been a while!" A brown girl shouted from the bar while waving, interrupting Lucy without realizing it.

Levy grabbed Lucy's hand and walked her toward where the brunette was sitting.

"Hey Cana, this is my friend Lucy! Lucy this is Cana" Levy spoke, gesturing back and forth between the girls.

"I've seen you before! Your the demon girl right?" Cana spoke before chugging down the rest of her drink.

"I guess you could say that" Lucy started fiddling with her hands. She should have realised that everyone would know her as the demon's whore by now. It was nothing new.

"Well, are you going to just stand there or are you going to sit down and have a drink with me? I'm buying!" Cana slapped the bar and gestured for the bar tender to get them all drinks.

"I can't drink, I am only sixteen" Lucy whispered.

"I won't tell if you don't" Cana winked. Lucy smiled. She quite liked this girl, even if she did call her "demon girl".

"So Levy, where have you been? Got any interesting gossip?" Cana handed drinks to both Levy and Lucy.

Lucy took a sip. It tasted disgusting but she didn't want to offend a potential new friend so she kept sipping it anyway.

"I've been pretty busy reading and stuff, you know me" Levy smiled.

"Sounds boring, what about you Lucy? I'm interested in hearing if the rumours are true!".

"What rumours?" Lucy nearly shouted. Who was spreading rumours about her?

"There not really rumours, more just stories. If you chug your drink I might tell you about them". Cana winked and Lucy quickly downed her entire drink, nearly gagging from the taste.

"There, now tell me". Lucy said as she slammed her empty cup on the bar table causing Cana to gesture to the bar tender for a refill.

"Okay well there have been stories going around ever since I was a little girl and probably before that actually. You said you were one sixteen right?" Cana spoke in a low voice.

"Yeah but I turn seventeen this year". Lucy answered causing Cana to get a thoughtful expression.

"Well then the timeline of the stories is all wrong. Do you really live in some mysterious castle nearby with the most dangerous demons in the world?" Cana spoke, only pausing to drink.

"Well yeah I live in a castle with demons but I wouldn't say it's mysterious or anything". Lucy snorted and took a sip of her drink, slowly growing accustomed to the taste but not enough to actually enjoy it.

"A castle that nobody can find unless they are taken there by someone who has been there before? I'd say that is pretty mysterious". Cana snorted. Levy just sat silently swirling her drink and looking quite uncomfortable with the current conversation.

"I didn't know other people couldn't find it unless they had been there. I just kind of assumed people didn't want to go there".

"Well yeah that too. Still, it's pretty mysterious. How long have you lived there? Since you were born?".

"No, since I was twelve". Cana looked at Lucy as though she thought she may be lying but quickly shook her head.

"Well then the timeline of the stories are completely wrong".

"You still haven't told me these stories".

"Have you heard about the villages lost time?"

"No, what's lost time?" Lucy felt rather intrigued as she continued to sip her drink almost subconsciously.

"For years now -even before I was born- this village has been experiencing gaps in its timeline. Almost like people are being made to forget. The stories say that it all started over a century ago when a blond human girl first came here with a demon. Some of the villagers caught onto the fact people were losing time and started keeping written records of what happened. They are mostly folk tales now but some people believe there is truth to it. I'm pretty sure my great grandad use to have some. If I find them I'll let you have a look". Cana spoke with her an expression that told Lucy she was thinking about something.

"I'd like that a lot! What ever happened to the girl and the demon?" Lucy asked, she was starting to feel quite relaxed and was now finishing her third drink. She didn't even realise that her cup had been refilled again.

"Nobody really knows. Some say she turned into a demon herself, others say she died. They stories always talk about how much they loved each other. How she gave him humanity and stopped him from being evil. He was vicious before she came along, then he wasn't. The village felt safe when she was with him because they knew he was trying to be better for her. It's actually a pretty cute story". Cana slapped the bar gesturing for yet another drink. How much did this girl drink?

"Okay but what do these stories have to do with me?".

"Well a few people were saying that maybe you were that same girl. A blond human girl walking with a demon isn't exactly a common thing to see. People thought maybe you were her. You're clearly not but it's still a cool coincidence".

Lucy stayed at the bar and chatted with Cana and Levy for the rest of the afternoon, even after they stopped talking about demon folk tales only leaving because both Lucy and Levy had decided they had enough to drink and walked back to the castle laughing together and swaying as they walked.

* * *

Natsu was sitting on his bed when he heard a knock on his door. He decided to ignore it when Lucy started calling out to him.

"Natsu! Oh Natsu! I want to talk to you" she shouted in a sing song voice. Natsu stood up to open the door when Lucy stumbled through it and tripped into him.

"Lucy? What are you doing?" He asked while helping himself and her to their feet.

"I miss you!" Lucy threw her arms around him. He would be lying if he said he didn't love the feeling of her pressed so tightly in his embrace. Still, she was acting strange and she smelled funny and he wanted to know why.

"Lucy, you're acting weird. What's going on?" He spoke while walking her to the bed. She looked like she was having trouble standing by herself.

"I was at a bar with Levy and met a girl named Cana and she gave me gross tasting drinks but now I feel great!". Ahh that explained it, Zeref had told him about alcohol before but he had never tried it. Apparently Lucy had.

"Come on, I'll help you get to bed". He went to pick her up but she slapped his hands away.

"No! I have something that needs saying and I am not going anywhere until it gets said!". She poked him in the chest.

"Okay little miss drunk, what do you need to say?" He couldn't help but laugh at the way she looked. Her ski was flushed and she kept giggling at random.

"I want to say that you have been mean and I want to know why you don't like me anymore!". Lucy huffed.

"What? Why would you think I didn't like you?" He hadn't avoided her that much. Or he didn't think he did at least.

"Because you don't hang out with me anymore and you moved out of my room completely! I want to know why! Is it because of my nightmares?". She raised her voice as she spoke. She was a loud drunk.

"You've been having nightmares? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Don't change the subject! This is about why you don't like me anymore. You don't even call me Luce anymore.. It's now Lucy, Lucy this and Lucy that!" She threw her hands in the air dramatically as she spoke.

"Luce of course I still like you, I just wanted to give you space is all" he spoke gently to her.

"I don't want space! I want my best friend! I want you." Lucy whispered the last part and looked at her hands.

Natsu swallowed thickly, he could feel his hands getting sweaty. She wanted him, but how did she want him? Did she want him like he wanted her or did she want him as her best friend and nothing more? Well there was only one way to find out.

"Lucy.."

"Stop calling me Lucy! My friends call me Lucy, you call me Luce! You have always called me Luce and I want to be Luce!" She shouted at him with tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. Natsu steadied himself with a deep breath.

"Luce, I don't like you. I..."

"I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU HATED ME! WHAT DID I DO!" Lucy screamed at him, the tears in her eyes freely trickling down her cheeks.

"I'm trying to tell you that I love you!" Lucy looked at him, tears gone from her eyes but still staining her cheeks.

"I love you Luce, I understand if you don't feel the same way about me but that's how I feel about you and..." warm lips pressed against his mouth, swallowing any words he would have spoken.

He closed his arms around her as she pressed her body against him, he lips against his. She felt soft and warm. He had imagined what a kiss from her would feel like many times but it was never like this. This felt like all his dreams had come true, like they were two pieces of the same puzzle that fit together perfectly. He mouth moved against his and she swiped her tongue across his bottom lip as though asking for entry. He opened his mouth and felt her tongue moving against his own as he finally got to find out what she would taste like.

She tasted... wrong. A stark reminder that she was drunk and not thinking straight. He hated himself for thinking it, for ruining this perfect moment with his own logic. This wasn't right, she wouldn't be kissing him right now if she hadn't drank alcohol. It took all of his strength to push her away, still he did.

"Luce, I can't. You're drunk. You don't really want this". He looked in her eyes and seen hurt flash across them.

"You don't love me that way?" She whispered, the tears returning to her eyes once more.

"No, it's just..." he didn't get to finish before she ran out of his room, slamming the door behind her.

One moment she couldn't walk properly on her own and the next she was running from his room. Just his luck.

Natsu flopped back on his bed and groaned.

"I am such a fucking idiot! Why couldn't I just enjoy a kiss with the girl I love without ruining it?"

He felt like an idiot, but he knew that if he had let it go she would have regretted it in the morning. At least she wouldn't hate him for taking advantage of her in the morning. They could talk about there feelings when she was in her right mind to do so. Until then he needed a cold shower and some time to think.

* * *

**A/N **

**I decided to upload this chapter while I had internet (even though the last update was literally yesterday) so I hope you all enjoy the quick update and I hope you all enjoy this chapter! **

**As always a massive thankyou to everyone who has followed/favorited this story and a super massive thankyou to everyone who has reviewed especially those of you who have left multiple reviews. My reviews for last chapter currently haven't been loading so I don't know who to write dedications to but will make up for that next chapter! **

**I love you all lots! Thankyou all for taking the time to read this story, it means the world to me it really does.**


	14. Chapter 13

Natsu stood outside Lucy's door, pacing back and forth. Every few minutes he would raise his hand to knock, shake his head, then lower his hand and continue pacing. This went on right up until Happy flew from behind him, knocked on the door and flew away. Annoying, meddling cat.

"Come in" Lucy called. She didn't sound angry or sad, if anything she sounded tired.

Natsu opened the door before he had time to get nervous. He needed to talk with Lucy and let her place in his life be known, if she rejected him... so be it.

"Luce, we need to talk."

Lucy was laying down, still in her bed, but she turned her head to smile at him.

"That's better, I am Luce" she spoke softly. Natsu walked toward her bed and sat next to her with a smug smile. She was hungover, that's what you get for drinking so much that you act like a weirdo.

"You'll always be Luce, how ya feeling?" Natsu leaned back on the pillows and faced her with a grin on his face. He didn't particularly enjoy her seeing her suffer the after effects of alcohol, but he would be lying if he said it wasn't a little bit amusing.

"Like hell, but not as bad as I did when I first woke up. Now I mainly just feel sick and thirsty."

"Well, that's what happens when you drink more then you can handle" Natsu put his arms behind his head and poked his tongue out at her.

"How would you know, you have never even tried alcohol." Lucy reached out her arm and pushed him. Even in a hungover state she was still strong enough to nearly shove him off the bed.

"I'm not as dense as I look. Plus when I was younger, reading was all I could do to pass the time. That and getting lectured by Zeref. Ya learn a few things when you have nothing else to do."

"I know what you mean, so I'm guessing you wanted to talk about me throwing myself at you last night huh?" Lucy cringed and moved to pull her pillow over her head. "I'm really sorry about that Natsu, for what it's worth I am very embarrassed and have made plans on never touching alcohol again for as long as I live." The second part came out muffled from the pillow.

Natsu moved the pillow from Lucy's face and looked at her. "What exactly do you remember from last night?"

"Arrrh don't make me relive it!" Lucy went to grab the pillow again but Natsu pulled in out of her reach and looked at her, urging her to speak.

"Fine! I went to your room and got mad at you. Then when you tried to make me feel better and said you still love me as a friend I took it the complete wrong way and basically assaulted you. Then as if they was not bad enough I ran away without even apologizing like a complete chicken. I'm sorry! I feel like such a pervert." Lucy covered her face with her hands, her face red. Natsu almost wanted to laugh, she really did have knack for taking things the wrong way. Then again so did he, they were two peas in a pod.

"Lucy I need to tell you a few things, I would appreciate if you could listen to me without interrupting. Can you do that?" Natsu furrowed his brow. He had to tell her the truth about everything, not just because of the nightmares he'd had about it, but because Lucy had the right to know.

Lucy used her arm to prop herself up slightly. "Well I suppose I owe you at least that after what you had to put up with last night... but Natsu can I make a request first?" Natsu nodded his head. " After this conversation can we please be okay? I understand if you are mad at me and I will listen to whatever you have to say but... after that, can we please be okay still?".

"Lucy, I would love for nothing more then us to be great, I will leave it completely for you to decide how we are after I am done okay?" Lucy nodded her head and Natsu took deep breath. It was now or never.

"Lucy, do you know my full name?"

"Of course I do! It's Natsu Dragneel" Lucy looked at him with a confused expression.

"No, that's not my full name. A long time ago Zeref told me not to tell you my full name because it would scare you." Natsu paused incase Lucy had any questions but she just stared at him silently with creased brows and confusion written across her face.

"My full name is Etherious Natsu Dragneel, better known as E.N.D". Natsu paused, waiting for Lucy to speak. Every muscle in her body visibly clenched but she didn't say a word, just sat there as emotions crossed from her mind and onto her face. "Lucy please say something. I know that the humans have always said awful things about me but you know me, you know those things couldn't be true". Natsu was panicking. He was prepared for yelling, hitting or crying, expecting it even. He was not expecting Lucy to not silently with clenched fist, tense shoulder and tears in her eyes.

"Natsu, do you know why I spent my life hiding away?" Lucy spoke through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, someone was after you right? Lucy I will protect you from whoever wants to hurt you, what does that have to do with this?"

"The person who was after me also killed my mother and father then burned my family's home to the ground. I was told when I was young who that person was supposed to be. I was told that he would come after me the moment I let my guard down and to kill him the moment I got the chance" Lucy's hands were shaking and the tears that had been held in her eyes were slowly making their way down her cheeks. Natsu looked at her with a sinking feeling in his stomach. "I was told that his name was E.N.D".

"What?" Natsu had been prepared for a lot of things, but never that. Never in a million years had he even imagined that his name was the one Lucy had always been to terrified to speak. That he was the one blamed for what happened to her.

"We need to find the person who framed you". Lucy spoke with complete certainty in her voice as she stood from the bed and started pacing the room. Natsu felt both relief and confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, someone had to have killed my parents. Whoever it was did so using your name. I'm guessing they are also the reason that so many people are afraid of you" Lucy continued pacing, as if her hangover was completely forgotten.

"So, you're not going to run from me or call me a monster?"

Lucy scoffed. "Why would I do that? I trust you and I know that you would never hurt me. You aren't a monster, I am going to find the real monster and destroy it so it can never hurt anyone ever again". Lucy smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Natsu couldn't help the relief that flooded through him as he reached for Lucy's arm and pulled her toward him and into his arms. She didn't hate him, she didn't think he was a monster. She didn't leave. His worst fears were completely false. He should have had more faith in her from the start.

"Natsu, I can't breath" Lucy wheezed while slapping his chest. Natsu loosened his hold but didn't let go.

"There is one more thing I wanted to tell you, if you're still willing to hear it". Natsu whispered with his cheek against Lucy's hair as she sat cradled in his lap.

"I don't think anything you can say would shock me more than what you just said so sure. After that we start coming up with a plan though". Lucy was tracing the black markings along his arm.

"Last night when I told you I love you, you got it right the first time. I do love you, not just as a friend or best friend. I love you as the first person to see me for who I was and care about me anyway. I love you as the person who hugged away my bad dreams and who went head first at a demon with a sword. You are brave, strong, caring, funny and I am completely in love with you Luce". Lucy stayed completely still for a few moments before looking up at him.

"Natsu, I do love you as my best friend" Natsu almost felt his heart break as Lucy kept speaking. "If you can't be friends as well as partners then a relationship is doomed to fail. I love you in so many ways including the fact that I want to spend my life with you... but I don't want to have to give up being your best friend because of that and I don't want you to ever stop loving me as a best friend. I want to be your best friend and your partner through life, not just one or the other". Lucy placed her hand on his cheek and smiled at him. His heart was pounding inside his chest as he looked at her with burning intensity.

"Luce, now that you can actually think straight and talk without slurring your worlds... Can we try that kiss again?" Natsu's voice was husky and soft, but he did not take his onyx eyes away from Lucy's brown ones.

"Yeah but... you might want to wait until I have a shower and brush my teeth first" Lucy took her hand from his cheek and her cheeks flushed.

Natsu couldn't help laughing. He had completely forgotten that she had spent the morning suffering the effects of drinking.

"Okay but I'm warning you, I will claim you're lips against mine sooner or later. When you least expect it" he winked at her and she laughed light-heartedly.

"Okay Mr Smooth, I'll just have to make sure I am always expecting it then". Lucy lightly shoved him in the shoulder and stood up to walk to her bathroom.

Natsu stood from her bed and walked toward her bedroom door.

Natsu had been looking for Zeref for at least half an hour. He wanted to tell him about what had happened with Lucy. Truth is he wanted to tell anyone, he felt like he was walking on a cloud with his joy.

In a castle as large as this one it was no wonder he couldn't find him. He had lived in the castle his entire life and was certain there were parts of it he hadn't seen. He was always finding new hidden passages and rooms hidden behind bookcases or paintings. Still when he looked in Zeref's room a fourth time he wasn't expecting to find one there.

It was well hidden, Natsu only found it when his toe nicked a crease in the rug and moved it slightly. A trap door.

'A good brother who respected his brothers privacy would just put the rug back and leave right?' He thought to himself. Too bad he was so nosy.

He opened the trap door and found a series of catacombs. So this is why Zeref picked a room so low in the castle aye?

Natsu searched, trying his best to keep his steps quiet. It was dark and damp but he had a feeling like there was something he would find if he looked hard enough. Something he needed to find.

He could here echoed voices but could not quite make out what they were saying.

'Maybe if I follow the noise it will take me to Zeref'. Natsu couldn't chase away the feeling of his own curiosity. Or the feeling that Zeref was hiding something. He could smell the dampness surrounding him but there was something else that was not familiar to him. That and the feeling in his gut that he had been here before kept him walking as his tried to listen to the voices over the sound of his own heart beating more and more rapidly.

"I already told you I won't help you. Do whatever you want to me, I may be a demon some lines just should not be crossed." Whoever spoke sounded angry but Natsu couldn't hear well enough to recognize the voice.

"And I already told you that you don't have a choice, did I not?"

Natsu could see a door with dim lighting coming from under it. The second voice sounded like Zeref, what was he doing all the way down here? Natsu pressed his ear against the door to hear better.

"You want to kill me then do it. I am not a pawn in your little game." Natsu recognized the voice now that he could hear it better. It was Gajeel. What was Gajeel talking about? What game was Zeref trying to play? Natsu felt sick and confused. What was his brother doing?

"I won't kill you. However your little blue haired girly could turn out to be an interesting experiment"

'No. That couldn't be Zeref saying that. He wasn't like that. He would never...'

"Don't you dare touch her!"

'Someone must have stolen Zeref's voice. He wasn't a cruel man... He was harsh and strict at times but not cruel.'

"I won't as long as you do what I ask."

'What was Zeref so desperate for that he would be this way?'

"Are you seriously okay with doing this to your own brother? And what about Lucy huh? They don't deserve to be plotted against like this!"

"They are pawns, just like you. Nothing more, nothing less. I will complete what I set out to do and I will destroy anything that stands in my way."

Natsu took a sharp intake of breath and started backing away from the door. He was not meant to hear this conversation but he needed a plan. He needed to be smart and getting caught listening in on that conversation would not be smart at all.

His brother was the strongest demon alive. He didn't stand a chance with brute strength alone.

And Lucy... whatever was going on he needed to protect Lucy.

'I can go back later when Zeref isn't there and snoop around... Until then. Fuck. I don't know...fuck' Natsu thought as he broke into a sprint all the way back to Zeref's room. Then toward Lucy's as hot tears fell to his cheeks.

Zeref was always great at playing games and people alike. Natsu never suspected he would be one of the people to get played.

* * *

Lucy ran around the room frantically grabbing anything she would need for a long trip. After Natsu had left Lucy had started thinking. Her dreams had to mean something. They were too frequent and specific not to. If they were not linked to E.N.D then that meant whatever threatened them was unknown... whatever killed her mother. She had to find it and protect Natsu, even if it meant leaving him forever.

Lucy looked at her bag. She had packed clothes, a blanket, toiletries and money. Most importantly she had packed a flower. One of her most prized possessions, one of the flowers that Natsu had picked for her on her first day at the castle. She didn't know what possessed her to do it but she had grabbed one of the flowers of the ground after he left the room and kept it, pressed in a book and flattened, she doubted Natsu even knew she had it.

She was startled by the sound of her door and the sight of a very panicky Natsu.

"Lucy, I... wait what are you doing?" Natsu was looking a the bag on Lucy's bed.

"Natsu what's wrong?" His eyes were wide and his face was covered in sweat and pale.

"Where are you going?" Natsu folded his arms and furrowed his brow. "Were you going to leave without telling me?"

"I was hoping I could. I knew you would want to come with me if I told you..." Lucy looked down at her feet. " What's up with you? Why did you come in looking all frantic?" Lucy mimicked Natsu's stance with her arms across her chest. Natsu looked like he was deep in thought so Lucy coughed to get his attention.

"Never mind that. Just tell me where you are going and I will help you pack" Natsu started walking toward her.

"You're not going to stop me? You're not mad?" Lucy asked cautiously

"I'm upset that you didn't tell me but I won't stop you."

"Okay, what happened? This is not like you at all" Lucy moved to sit beside Natsu on the bed beside her packed bags.

"I'm not sure, but I want to find out and I would rather you not be here when I do... wherever you are going might be dangerous but it might be safer then it is here... You said last night that you had been having nightmares. What were you talking about?" Natsu looked at her with sad eyes and furrowed brows.

"They are about us dying... I always thought it was because E.N.D was going to come after me but now I know that isn't the case and I-I just need to know what is going on. Who really killed my parents."

"I have had the same nightmares Luce. In one of them you said I killed you parents..."

"But I know you didn't kill them!" Lucy interrupted.

"I know that... but at the time I had the nightmare I didn't even know that you thought I was the one after you... I don't know how I could have dreamed that when I didn't even know who you thought was after you. I didn't think about it at the time but now... there is one thing all the nightmares have in common. We are together when they take place, or at least close to each other. I think maybe me staying here and doing research and you going where ever you need to... it's always better when we are together but... I would rather you be safe and I don't think you are safe here anymore and I don't know how dangerous it really is Luce... I don't know what to do.." Natsu cut off as tears leaked from his eyes. Lucy's heart clenched as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his head.

"I love you Natsu. I will come back to you. No matter what I will always come back to you. I don't know why we have these dreams but there has to be a reason. Maybe someone sending us a warning or maybe there is some other reason... but I will find out, and I will come back to you."

"Just stay safe okay? Wait! I have something for you! Please wait here, don't leave before I get back." Natsu stood from Lucy's embrace and ran from the room.

Her heart had never felt heavier. Just when they finally had the chance to be together she had to leave him, she didn't even know for how long. It wasn't fair, life rarely ever was.

* * *

Natsu rummaged through his draws until he found them... He held it in the air to inspect it. Perfect, these would keep Lucy safe. He ran all the way back to her room, hoping she was still there. Thankfully she was.

He walked up to her and put the objects in her hand, a key and a ring.

"Natsu, is that a celestial key? And what is the other thing?" Lucy eyed him sceptically.

"That key is for Leo, he is pretty powerful. I was going to give it to you sooner but the time never seemed right. I figured if I couldn't be there to protect you, I could at least give you someone who could. The ring is something I want you to never take off. It will stop anyone from finding you. Nothing can break past its shield, no spell or object. Don't take it off no matter what, it won't make you invisible but it will stop you from being tracked... I use to use it when I played hide and go seek with Zeref so he couldn't use a Lacrima orb to cheat. I was younger then so it should fit you now". Natsu watched as Lucy slid it onto her finger. It was a gold ring that looked like an extremely small dragon wrapping around her finger with black gems for eyes. He hoped that maybe it would remind her of him. "I'm going to miss you Luce".

"I will miss you too... you better give me that kiss when I get back." Lucy stood and started putting her bag on her back. Natsu put his hand on her face and tried to meet her eyes but she was looking down.

"I would rather give it to you now". He whispered before closing the distance between them and placing his lips against hers. She put her arms around his neck and her fingers through his hair. It was a soft kiss, gentle and sweet. As he took in her scent and tried to memorize the feeling of her lips against his he knew in his heart that the story Zeref had told him all those year ago was true. They were destined to be together. Even if they had to be apart to make that happen. Even if Zeref was plotting against them. Lucy was his, and he was hers.

He would go to hell and back to keep her safe. He wouldn't let anyone steal their future.

The kiss ended too quickly.

"I need to go now".

"I know".

And just like that, Lucy had walked out the door. He watched from her window as she walked through the garden and out the gate, taking his heart with her.

He wanted to chase her, or go with her, or just have a few more precious moments. Instead he just watched as she disappeared from his sight, tears prickling the corners of his eyes. This was the best thing for her, she would be safer this way. Still, it hurt more than he ever imagined it would.

Natsu wanted to fall into her bed and go to sleep, but he couldn't. He needed to search that castle for any hints of what Zeref could be up to, and prepare to face his brother and act like nothing was wrong. He couldn't let his brother know what he knew. He had to play the game. He would not be a pawn anymore.

* * *

A/N Hey everyone! I am so sorry it has been a while since my last update. I feel I owe an explanation. Someone who meant a lot to me passed away, I needed to take time to grieve and honestly just wasn't in a good place. I am back now! Please forgive me!

Massive thankyou to everyone who has followed this story/favorited it! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I have been working on it for a while and honestly could not seem to get everything perfect like I wanted but am relatively happy with this even if I am doubting myself abit

Shout out to NanatsuNo Taizai for all the amazing reviews you have left! Thankyou so much! I take it from your name that you are a 7DS fan! So am I! (King and Diane are one of my OTP's)

Thankyou so much for reading this story and I hope you continue!

Another massive thankyou to FireShifter for being concerned about me and checking up on me! You truly are an amazing friend!

Also to everyone following "Bound to you" a new update will coming very soon!

Thankyou all for reading and lots of love and well wishes to each and every one of you!

Please R/R


	15. Chapter 14

Lucy tried her best to ignore the shivers that wracked her body as she walked into the bar. It was just her luck that not even five minutes after she left the castle, it rained. She had really been hoping to not have to stop walking for a while. Her plan was the go to the nearby town and purchase a map then get as far as she could before camping out for the night. Now she would need to wait out the rain, or at the very least wait for it to slow down.

She sat down at an empty seat at the bar and ordered a drink... non-alcoholic, she had learned her lesson last time.

"Hey Mira, you don't happen to sell maps here do you?"

"Actually yes, we get a lot of travellers just stopping in for a meal. What kind of map do you want? One just the towns close by or the entire country?" Mira put both options in front of her.

"I'll take both, not really sure how far I will travel just yet".

With that Lucy sat silently and finished her drink, waited for her clothes to dry and the rain to settle then stood from her seat. That was until two people she had never seen before walked in, both dripping wet and clearly not in the best mood as the sauntered up to the bar and sat a few seats away from her.

"Two beers please." Spoke the female of the pair. A beautiful red head wearing armour and looking a little intimidating.

"Of course, is there anything else you need?"

"Yeah actually. We are looking for the demon kings castle, ever heard of it?" Spoke the male.

Lucy stiffened slightly. What did they want with Zeref? No human ever sought out the demon king unless they were either desperate, or wanted to try their hand in killing him. She had learned this over her years living there and her chats with Levy and other villagers.

"Lucy might be able to help you out, she is best friends with a demon." Mira pointed at her and spoke in a kind tone. The barmaid had always been one of the few to not judge Lucy for her friendship with Natsu. Still Lucy hunched her shoulders and looked down. She didn't want to be asked a bunch of questions, she had too much planning and a long journey ahead to worry about.

"You girl! You must tell me everything you know immediately... please." The redheaded girl clearly added the please as an afterthought.

"Why do you wanna know?" She wanted to make sure that they weren't desperate or in a simular situation to Levy when Lucy had first met her before tell them to go away.

"Our reasons are confidential information." The black haired male grinded his teeth.

"My knowledge is confidential information."

The red haired girl clenched her fist and slammed it in front of Lucy causing her to jump slightly. "Listen, I have been trying to find that castle for years. Gray and myself have been traveling for months on foot just so we don't miss it by accident. We have searched and searched but can't find it and every time we think we are getting close we suddenly end up lost. I beg you, tell us what you know or point us in the direction of someone who will." The girl had developed tears in her eyes.

"You are travellers? So you know a lot of places and have been to a lot of places right?" Lucy met the girls eyes and noticed something about them. Something not quite human but also not noticeable unless you had been around "not humans" for a long time.

"What does that have to do with it?". The boy was clearly getting angry as he raised his voice slightly.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to her" Lucy glared at the boy and jerked her head toward the girl before looking at her again. "You said you had been looking for a really long times, from the sounds of it whatever you need from the castle isn't very time sensitive. If you are willing to take a few months to help me and promise me that you won't harm anyone inside the castle I will take you there." Lucy shrugged her shoulders trying to appear like she didn't care. Truthfully she could really use some help... and strangers who had no personal interest in the matter would be perfect. They would have no issue running if danger struck and it was better that way, she didn't want anyone else to die for her. Her mother and father had already done that and Natsu had nearly been added to that list before.

"So let me get this straight, you want us to take a few months to help you with something and in return you will take us to the demon kings castle? Have you even actually been there before?"

"I live there, and yes. I have a few places I need to go and it would be helpful to have people who know the way to stop me from being lost or taking unnecessary detours. If you can assure me you mean no harm to the occupants of the castle I will take you there after you help me." Lucy watched as the girl turned and started whispering to the boy before turning back to her.

"We will help you. My name is Erza and my friend's name is Gray. We will not harm the occupants of the castle, but I want your word that you will tale us there." The red head that Lucy now knew was named Erza had a hopeful look in her eyes and something else Lucy couldn't quite place.

"I give you my word, I will take you to the castle but should you break you promise and try to harm anyone inside. I will not be held responsible for what happens to you. My name is Lucy."

"Well its lovely to meet you Lucy" Erza sat down in the seat next to her. "So where is it that you wanted us to take you?"

Lucy layed down her maps on the table. "I actually have a few places I need to go. I need to find out some information, but don't really know how to find it or even what I am looking for. My first plan is to go to the city of the stars, the sight where the king and queens castle burned down. After that I want to go to any towns nearby and question anyone who might know anything. Can you help me?"

"We can help alright, but the city of the Stars is a long and hard journey. It will take at least a month to get there. The entire city fell to ruin years ago after the castle burned down and the entire royal family perished so the closest town after that will be at least a week, maybe more." Erza eyed Lucy sceptically.

"Well then we better get started." Gray abruptly started standing from his seat and throwing a bag over his shoulder "We have a few hours until it gets dark. After that we can probably keep going for another two houra before making camp and then..."

"No!" Erza interupted "I want to have cake first."

"Do we really have time for.." Lucy began but Gray quickly shooshed her.

"Word to the wise. Never tell Erza she can't have cake, unless you have a death wish." Gray spoke in a hushed tone as the red haired woman was ordering.

"She would kill someone over cake?"

"No, just make them wish they were dead so she couldn't punch them anymore. She is terrifying when it comes to her sweets."

Oh, Lucy would have to remember not to get on her bad side. If she was so scary even her traveling companion was scared of her it was probably best to just stay on her good side as much as possible.

* * *

Everyone at the table sat silently. Zeref wore a tight frown and a dark look in his eyes.

'Good, be mad as you want but I ain't telling you a thing.'

Natsu looked down at his plate but didn't eat. He had to act worried, like he didn't know where Lucy could possibly be. Honestly it wasn't a far cry from the truth, he really didn't know where she was. He could find out easily but there was no way he would risk it. As long as he was in the dark Lucy was safe from Zeref and that is what mattered.

"Natsu, if you know where Lucy could possibly be it is important that you tell me. She could be in serious danger."

'Yeah, serious danger from whatever you're plotting'

"I already told you, I don't know! I wish I did... I'm scared for her." Natsu shocked himself with his ability to act. Maybe he was because he didn't have a choice, but he was relieved at how quickly the lied came to him and how easily it was to tell them. Must be the demon in him.

"Tell me again what happen."

"Lucy and I kissed... It was wonderful! I thought that everything was finally working out between us! Then I told her my full name and... and she just freaked out. She told me I killed her parents and that I was a monster! I left and went flying to calm down and to let her calm down, but when I went to check on her she was gone!" Natsu could feel the wetness of fake tears on his cheeks and tried his best to hide any smugness he felt. "She didn't even say goodbye... or leave a note. Please let me go find her Zeref!"

He was bluffing, he knew his brother well enough to know that Zeref wouldn't let him go. He had kept him confined to the castle and nearby town his entire life. Natsu had never questioned it before, always believing that his brother just wanted to protect him. Now he realized it wasn't about protection, it was about control. Zeref had lost control of Lucy, he wouldn't risk losing control over him too.

"No. Gajeel will go and find Lucy." Zeref looked at the black haired demon with a grin on his face. "Won't you Gajeel?"

"Fine." Gajeel stood abruptly from the table and walked away. Every muscle is his body looked tense.

"Speaking of Gajeel, where is Levy?" Natsu looked at Zeref with a raised brow.

"She left for a while to see family. I am sure she will be back soon."

Lies. All lies.

"Mmm. I'm gunna go to the library or something, try and figure out a way to find Lucy."

Natsu stood from the table before Zeref could respond. Walking to the library and leaving Happy behind at the table. His feline friend had been suspiciously silent since Lucy had left... but that was something for Natsu to worry about later. Right now he had answers he needed to find.

"I'll come with you."

'Great. I can't even get out of his grasp long enough to research.'

"Okay... thanks I guess."

The walk to the library was mostly silent, which suited Natsu just fine. He had nothing he wanted to say anyway. He had lots of questions but none he could ask. Silence was better. Silence was safe.

"You must be really worried about her, you are never this quiet."

"Of course I am. I don't expect you to understand." Natsu bit back sounding far more sarcastic than he intended.

An expression that resembled amusement crossed Zeref's face. "I understand far better than you realise."

Bullshit. How could this two faced idiot possibly understand what love was. He was willing to betray his own brother and plot against him. Only a monster could do that.

"Her name was Mavis. She was the most gorgeous woman in the entire world... a human, much like Lucy. I guess it runs in the family huh? Falling for humans. I adored her and she adored me. I miss her every single day."

Natsu didn't know what to feel. Part of him felt shocked, another felt pity.

"How do you live without her?"

'I could never live without Lucy.'

"Honestly? I don't. I just force myself to carry on and barely manage to exist... but I made a promise to her, and I intend to keep it."

"What promise?"

"That is between me and Mavis."

They arrived at the library but Natsu didn't get as much done as he would have liked. He just sat thinking about his brother. What he was planning.. Whether it had anything to do with Mavis.

* * *

"Oi Gray! Get some clothes on!" Erza yelled at her best friend as they walked with Lucy next to them.

Two weeks they had been walking. Through that time she had grown quite fond of the young blond. Not fond enough to tell her the truth but fond enough to feel bad about it.

"Oh shit! Not again!" Gray started grabbing clothes and rushing to put them back on while Lucy laughed.

"So Lucy, I'm curious. Were you a prisoner at the castle or something?" Gray looked at Lucy with both brows raised and wide eyes.

"No way! I lived there but I wasn't a prisoner or anything" Lucy laughed through her words as though she couldn't take the question completely seriously.

"Well why did you live there? Aren't demons all meant to be cruel?" Erza felt suspicious. How could any sane human live with demons willingly?

"Well my mother was actually killed by a demon. I don't know which one. For a long time I was pretty much alone with only a celestial spirit to keep me company, and she wasn't very good at it. When I was twelve I was taken to Natsu. I was terrified at first but he was just a kid like I was. He was lonely too. He was always kind to me, he looked out for me and protected me even if it meant he got hurt. He is funny, caring and strong... but not cruel, never cruel." Lucy had a longing in her eyes as she spoke on the demon. A longing Erza recognised because she had seen it in the mirror every time she looked at herself.

"You love him? Even though he is a demon?"

"Him being a demon is a part of who he is. I love all of him, not just the parts that are convenient or conventional. I don't love him despite the fact he is a demon, I love him because he is. If he wasn't a demon, he wouldn't really be himself. I wouldn't change a single thing about him."

Erza looked any hint of dishonestly on Lucy's face but found none. It made her sad. She had felt the same way about Jellal, no matter how sick he was she adored him. Then she killed him. For the sake of others. She regretted it ever day. She regretted that she hadn't tried harder, that she hadn't stuck with him no matter his mistakes. Mostly she regretted the fact she looked in his eyes when he died. In that moment, the real Jellal came back. First he looked at her like she had betrayed him, then with forgiveness and love... even in his final moments he loved her... she hadn't thought he was capable of such a thing anymore but when he finally proved her wrong, it was too late.

Now, hearing that demons were not all cruel. That killed her more than anything. Or at least she wished it did.

She wished she could die from something as easily obtainable as a broken heart. Instead she had to carrying on, if for nothing more than the fact Jellal would want her to... and to seek revenge on the man that destroyed them in the first place.

"Erza? Are you okay?" Lucy looked at her with worry in her eyes.

"Of course, why?"

"You're crying. If you have anything you want to talk about I am here for you."

"That's sweet Lucy, thankyou."

* * *

As they girls walked a few feet behind him Gray found himself more and more interested in their conversation. He understood Lucy and how she fell in love with a demon. It also made him curious... he had only really met one demon in his life.

"Ya know Lucy, I fell in love with a demon too."

"What?!" Both girls yelled it unison.

"How come you never told me about this Gray?" His redheaded best friend yelled.

"The topic never came up and you didn't ask... you haven't exactly opened up to me either ya know?" He crossed his arms and glared at her. Why did he have to tell her things when she hid so much from him?

"What's her name?" Lucy interrupted the potential argument.

"Juvia." Gray smiled just speaking her name.

"How did you meet?" What was this, an interrogation? Still, it wasn't every day you meet someone else who knew what it meant to love a demon.

"Depends on which time. The first time I met her we were both just kids. She was being chased through the town I lived and I hid her. I didn't know she was demon, to me she was just another kid and I didn't know why the adults wanted to kill her. After that I didn't see her for many years but I always felt as though she was nearby. Then I got sold out by the town to a demon who threatened to destroy it unless they gave him one of their children. My parents were dead so I had nobody to protect me." He knew better than to mention that it was the demon king threatening to destroy the town. If Lucy lived there then she probably was well acquainted with the evil son of a bitch.

"Then what happened?"

"Juvia. She rescued me right from the demons lair. She has been in hiding even since... if any demon ever found her she would be killed on the spot."

"Oh so that's why you want to go to the castle! So Zeref can find the one who took you and punish him! That would surely keep Juvia safe right?"

So she was on a first name basis with the demon king. Maybe he could find out some sort of weakness. He looked at Erza who nodded at him. Clearly thinking the same thing.

"Yeah exactly! The problem is I don't really know anything about the guy, or if he would be willing to help. To tell you the truth I am worried that he will just say I am a worthless human not worth his time." Gray lied through his teeth.

"Oh no, he would never do that! He saved my life and I am only a human. He and Natsu protected me for years. He also saved my best friends boyfriend and let them stay in the castle and she is a human too!"

Was this girl seriously talking about the same demon king? Or did she just not know? Maybe he had some sort of plan for her... that's why he kept her around. What about her demon boyfriend, was he too useless to protect her or was he in on it?

"Tell me about your boyfriend, how did you meet him?"

"It's a long story."

"We got nothing but time."

After Lucy told her new friends everything they were both looking at her with serious expressions but saying nothing. She had told them the full story, about her parents. About Zeref taking her to the castle and Natsu protecting her from a demon and even about her dreams.

She hadn't meant to tell them so much but she trusted them. Plus Gray had opened up to her so the least she could do is be honest.

"Lucy, what will you do when you find out who killed your parents?" Erza whispered with a suspicious look on her face.

"I'm going to kill them.

Both her new friends nodded and smiled.

"We will help you."

Lucy beamed at them both. The were already helping her so much, now they were going to help her reach her ultimate goal and protect Natsu.

"You guys are the best!"

With that they walked on. Gray and Erza, sharing knowing looks that Lucy couldn't see.

* * *

**A/N **

**Thankyou to everyone for reading and for showing me so much support and love! I am currently trying my absolute best to get but onto my update schedule so I don't leave you all waiting as long! **

**This authors note will be short because honestly I am exhausted but trying my absolute best for you all, I would never want to disappoint a single one of you. You have all really kept me going with the support and love you all show to me and it means the world to me, especially lately. **

**Lots of love and well wishes to all of you!**

**Please R/R **


	16. Chapter 15

Sweat caused his hair to stick to his forehead and his muscles felt tense and sore as Natsu collapsed onto his back. Training, one of the only things he could do to pass the time until he would finally see Lucy again. Training and researching.

It had only been a about a month but the time dragged on and felt like years. More then once he had been tempted to find her, just to see her, even if it was only for a few minutes. He knew that he couldn't but the temptation was still there none the less. Instead he threw all he had into research- which he was starting to realize he was terrible at- and training. Training to protect her, to be strong enough to protect her. No matter who he had to go against. No matter what it took.

Natsu stretched his arms in front of him, toward the ceiling and wondering what she was doing. In hindsight they probably should have planned it all out better. At the time he was filled with so many emotions that his only thought was to get her away from his brother. He didn't think it would take this long to find out what was going on or that she would take so long to get back. She could be back any day and he was still clueless.

"Natsu". The familiar voice of his other best buddy echoed through the room.

"Hey little buddy, what's up?" He made no move whatsoever. Perfectly content to lay on the cool floor and wallow in some good old self pity for a few minutes. Just until he could muster the strength to walk again.

"I know what you are doing ya know? I'm not stupid". Natsu looked to the side of him to see Happy with his arms crossed standing right next to his head.

"And what is that exactly?" He tried to make his face a innocent as possible, but he didn't have a mirror so he could have just looked constipated for all he knew. Zeref seemed to buy his acting skills well enough so that was what mattered anyway.

Happy moved to whisper in Natsu's ear. "I know that you are lying about why Lucy left and I know that you are trying to get stronger. It doesn't take an idiot to figure out that you are trying to protect her from something".

Natsu tensed but tried to keep his expression neutral.

"You don't know anything. I am just trying to forget about the fact my heart was ripped out thank you very much. I don't need an interrogation". He felt guilty for lying, but the less people that knew the better. Old castles have ears and eyes everywhere.

Happy looked frustrated, with clenched fist and a puffed out chest.

"You can fool everyone else but you can't fool me. I'm not going to ask you questions but I am your friend and I do want to help you. I want to protect Lucy too."

Natsu shook his head. "I know. I'm sorry but you are wrong. Lucy left me and is probably trying to find a way to kill me as we speak".

"Stop lying. Lucy would never do that. If you need to lie you could at least not make Lucy out to be some sort of awful person. You know she would never hurt you even if she thought you were going to kill her. Even if you were about to. She still wouldn't and you know that!". Happy was breathing erratically as he stormed out. Natsu couldn't blame him. He had every right to defend Lucy and he even had the right to know the truth. Natsu wouldn't tell him though.

Natsu stood up and decided to just go to bed. He didn't have it in him to do much more than that.

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath she willed her mind to remember the beauty that she was witnessing. For all the time she had spent in the water she had never seen a waterfall before. She would have to remember this place to show Natsu and Happy.

"Hey Lucy! Ya wanna take a break from walking and go for a swim, it's a good enough day for it." Her black haired friend had already removed his shirt and jumped into the water, with Erza following quickly behind.

"Sure, I haven't swam in years" Lucy laughed. She had grown rather attached to her new friends over the course of their travels. She hoped they could stay in touch after they had done all they had to do.

Lucy had been floating on her back, enjoying the feeling of the cool water in contrast to the warm sun when something wrapped around her ankle and dragged her down. She opened her eyes to try and see under the water but could only make out a dark silhouette with glowing red eyes and sharp claws gripping her ankle and breaking the flesh.

Panic sunk in quickly as she kicked, struggled and attempted to yell. Not realizing the mistake she was making in wasting oxygen until she felt the world fade away from her.

_The metallic smell of blood filled her nostrils as she looked at the destruction surrounding her. She didn't realize the blood was her own until she looked down at her hands and found that they were no longer there. She could almost feel amused that it didn't hurt, but she felt to dizzy to feel much of anything._

_"You know Lucy, if you had of just helped me none of this would have happened. Poor Natsu is going to have to go back in the tube again, all because of you."_

_The voice sounded familiar but Lucy could no longer see, or feel anything. Wow Hearing really is the last sense to go. She tried to ask the voice what it was talking about but couldn't find the words or energy to speak. She felt both numb and tingly. She felt like she was floating or sinking. Everything felt like a contradiction. Then she felt nothing at all._

* * *

"Come on Lucy! Come on!" Erza yelled as she pushed the girls chest.

"She isn't breathing!" Gray was pacing back and forth.

"I know that you idiot!" Erza leaned down and forced two breaths into Lucy's mouth.

She didn't know what happened. Once minute they were all swimming and the next, Lucy was floating face down and not moving. At first they thought she was just mucking around but when they went over to her she wasn't moving.

Push push push.

"Lucy, you better not leave us now. We only just became friends come on!" Gray was shouting as though their blond companion could hear him. For an man who had Ice magic he was a lot less chill than one would imagine.

"Shut up Gray, I am trying to concentrate!" Lucy couldn't die. Over the last month she had become like a little sister to Erza. Erza could feel the tears trying to escape her eyes. She couldn't lose anyone else.

Push push push push.

Erza tried to count the compressions in her head, taking two breaths whenever she got to thirty. She hadn't done CPR in years, what if she was doing it wrong?

"Gray for crying out loud give me space!" She yelled as Gray crouched next to her to try and get a close look. To see if Lucy would be okay.

"What can I do. How can I save her!"

"Let me do this and stop fucking bugging..."

A wet cough interupted them. The sound was disgusting, but it was music to their ears. Lucy was breathing. She was coughing up water. She was okay, she would be okay. She started trying to sit up but clearly lacked energy.

"Hey, just rest for now alright." Gray soothed her.

Lucy's eyes looked both dazed yet some how panicked, but she layed down and took slow breaths. Erza hadn't realized how fast her heart had been beating but the relief washed through her like a wave.

* * *

"You are quite lucky you know? Most people in your position would have been killed already." A wave of disgust rolled through her entire body at the sound of his voice.

"Eat shit and die Zeref."

"Tssk that's not very nice. A mouth like that could get you in a lot of trouble. You are just lucky that your demon is cooperating. His service buys your life".

"Yeah great life down in some dank dungeon where the only person to talk to is the most disgusting creature on the planet. Now I repeat, eat shit and die."

"You have a bed and three meals a day, it's a lot more than most prisoners get believe me. Don't worry, once I have Lucy back in my possession you will be free to run off into the sunset with your precious Gajeel".

"I hope you never get her back. I hope she stays far away and that Gajeel never finds her. I refuse to trade my best friend's life for my freedom". She folded her arms and tried to make herself look brave. Could someone be brave when they felt so terrified?

"I won't kill her you fucking idiot. I just need her help with something. Her and Natsu love each other and they will give me what I need whether they like it or not".

"If she loves him so much, why did she leave?"

"Because they are idiots. They think they can protect each other but they have no idea what they need to protect each other from. That will be their down fall".

"I can bet what your downfall will be"

"And what is that?" Her statement had been aimed to make him uneasy but instead he just looked amused.

"Your arrogance. It will make you sloppy and that is when you will meet your end".

"Oh sounds exciting. Tah tah Levy, I really must be off. Please make yourself at home".

The door slammed behind him, and once again she was alone. The only sound was the dripping water that echoed all around her, the smell of mold and moisture filled her nostrils.

* * *

Natsu layed in bed, thinking of Lucy until his eyes got heavy. He had no idea before falling asleep, that it would be a very long time before he woke up again. Memories can be a lot like sleeping. Slowly surfacing in the back of the mind, then crashing through it all at once.

* * *

Natsu smiled as he looked at the village below him. It was only small. Peaceful. Filled with smiling content faces that had never known suffering. They would learn today.

With the flick of a hand he caused a small fire right in the centre. Only killing about ten people, he liked to draw these things out. He didn't want their blood, he wanted their screams. He wanted their terror. The name of Etherious Natsu Dragneel would haunt the memory of anyone who came into contact with him and lived. He always left survivors.

He landed and paused to allow the screams of terror to really ring through his ears. A wicked grin plastered to his face. He started more fires until most of the building were burning, a few of them had screams echoing from them. When buildings burned sometimes people burned with them. Smoke filled the air and twirled toward the sky.

Everyone ran from him, they always did. It never mattered, he was faster. He laughed, knowing the sound would send chills through the body of everyone who heard it. He wanted them to know what was coming.

Only one person wasn't running. She was standing tall, with tears streaming down her face as her long blond hair floated around her and danced with the embers and ash that caught in the wind. She looked to be around thirteen years old, but her eyes held a fire that was terrifying to him.

He always did love fire.

This was the first time he had ever run from it.

* * *

"Natsu, this is Mavis. She is the love of my life". His brother was smiling. He had never smiled much before but he was smiling. The tiny blond girl looked almost fairy like. Standing next to a demon she looked very out of place

"She is human?"

"Yeah".

"That's disgusting".

His brothers face turned angry as he pushed the tiny fragile looking thing behind him.

"One day you are going to love someone, you will realize that you have no say in who that person is".

"I have loved many things brother. Murdering her kind is one of them. Keep a close eye of her won't you?"

Natsu walked away smiling. He would never actually kill his brothers chosen mate, but scaring her could be a whole lot of fun.

"Hey!" Natsu turned around to see the pipsqueak marching toward him with pouted lips.

"Awww, I take it back. Look at how cute it is when it's mad!" He spoke in a baby voice and knelt dramatically to make himself her height.

"Listen here arsehole. I am not disgusting. I love you brother and I make him happy, if you were half decent you would just be glad he is happy and stop being such a douche. I don't know where you get off threatening me but I am not afraid of you. So shape up or shut up alright!"

He should feel mad. The audacity to speak to him like that. Instead he just felt impressed, and grudgingly respectful. He nodded his head before looking at a very smug Zeref.

"I like this one brother, she has some fire in her belly".

* * *

Natsu groaned in pain as he looked at his stomach, a festering wound that reached from his hip bone to his rib cage adorned it. He could hear the mob looking for him. Of all the ways to die, at the hands of a mob would not have been his first choice but he was too injured to fly away.

He could hear footsteps crunching toward him, he was done for now. He hadn't even hurt anyone in months, the mob had no reason to attack him this time. He tried to stand, to fight. To die like a man, but he didn't have the energy.

"I won't go down without a fight". He whispered. A whisper was all he could manage.

"Shhh, they will hear you if you are not careful.

Natsu looked up to see her. The girl he had run from years ago, removing her cloak and pressing it to his stomach. It stung but he wouldn't tell her that.

"Can you move or will I carry you?" She whispered. Her brown eyes held the same fire they had before, and he wanted to run. Boy did he want to run. Instead he swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head.

"I can't fly".

"If I help you, can you walk?"

The only answer he gave was a loss of consciousness.

* * *

Natsu woke up in a bed with her staring at him. His muscles ached but he was alive. Why was he alive?

"You know I could kill you right?" His throat was dry and his voice was horse as she handed him a cup of water.

"You could try, but you would have to do that before I killed you". Was she stupid? She would be powerless against him. Still, he didn't want to hurt her. He had no idea why, he just didn't want to.

"Why did you save me, I attacked your village years ago. Surely you haven't forgotten about that". Very smart, remind her of all the reason she should hate him.

"You killed my dad and fiancé that day". She shrugged

"That doesn't answer my question very well".

"My dad sold me to him, he was 20 years older than me. Thankyou".

"You realize I am a demon right?"

"Yeah?"

"That means I am sorta inherently evil".

"You don't have to be. You choose your own path. It's the choices we make that make us. I believe anyone could be good if they wanted to".

"Even the evil Etherious Natsu Dragneel?" He couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips.

"Yeah, even you. You know when someone says thankyou it is kind of polite to say your welcome?"

"Well, your welcome I guess. What is your name so I can thank you?"

The girl smiled at him. She had quite a pretty smile.

"Lucy, it's lovely to meet you Etherious". She put her hand out infront of her and toward him.

"Umm Natsu. Call me Natsu". He took her hand is his own. She felt so warm. He had never really touched a human before except for Mavis, and that was only when she forced a hug upon him. It was nice.

"Natsu. Want something to eat?" Hearing her call him that felt somehow right. He couldn't understand it.

"Sure".

They ate and talked for hours before she fell asleep right next to him. He wanted to run, he knew he should. Staying was dangerous. It could be a big mistake. But she felt so warm beside him as she hugged into his side and he felt so comfortable. He should run, but he didn't. She did.

* * *

"Stop sulking and go find her".

Natsu groaned and poured himself another drink.

"I am not sulking and no-one to find". For such a small woman, his sister in-law was a massive pain in his arse.

"Oh please. You are sulking and it is getting ridiculous. You are walking around like a lost puppy dog who is trying to find his bone but too lazy to actually look". Mavis crossed her arms and smiled at him. "She must be pretty special".

"Great metaphor you have there, come up with it all by yourself?" Natsu downed his entire drink.

"It's called a simile. Don't act high and mighty when you can't even tell the difference" She poked out her tongue at him, a very mature display clearly.

"I hardly even know her, there is just something about her that makes me want to". He slouched his shoulders forward in defeat. No point denying that Lucy had gotten under his skin. Besides, Mavis was family. Who else can you trust if not family?

"Well then go find her and tell her that, maybe she feels the same. You will never know unless you try".

"You're right. See ya later". Natsu stood from his seat.

"Wait right now?" Mavis moved to follow him.

"No time like the present".

* * *

Natsu was flying for an hour when he spotted her, tied up in the centre of the village with a pile of wood surrounding her. He felt himself confused until the man standing in front of her spoke.

"Lucy, you are charged with the crimes of becoming a demons whore. For that you shall burn".

For all that was happening Lucy did not flinch and the scowl she wore in her face did not waver. Not even in the face of death. She should have been terrified, but she looked furious.

"Go fuck yourself. The whole town knows your wife doesn't". Natsu couldn't help but giggle as he landed in front of her on the pyre. She was a little spit fire.

"Sorry to interrupt but you seem to have something of mine and I am here to take it back". He spoke calmly even as the people gasped and a woman screamed.

"You will not take the prisoner, but you will burn with her". Before Natsu could retort the man lit a fire around them. Idiot. He would pay dearly.

Natsu tore the rope that bound Lucy and pulled her to his chest before jumping into the air.

"You saved me" Lucy held him tightly and smiled at him.

"You saved me first". He smiled back at her before flying off, making sure to set fire to the entire town as they left. Lucy's head was buried in his chest so she didn't even have to hear their screams.

* * *

"Natsu when I said go find her I did not condone kidnapping". Mavis scolded with her hands on her hips.

"I didn't kidnap her! I..."

"He saved my life! He didn't kidnap me" Lucy was standing in front of Mavis, mimicking her stance and facial expression completely, grumpy pout and all. Natsu couldn't help but find it amusing.

"I like her. She won't take your shit". Mavis walked away giggling leaving Zeref smirking at them.

"Make yourself at home. Stay as long as you like and beware of things that go bump in the night".

* * *

Natsu walked beside his brother through the garden, watching the girls walk ahead of them. They had grow so close over the past few months, all them had.

"I've heard of taking it slow but you two are just weird". Zeref smiled at Natsu and nudged his shoulder.

"What do you mean by that?" Natsu kicked as stone in front of him as he walked with his hands in his pockets.

"You love her right?"

"Of course I do."

"Have you told her that?"

Natsu stopped walking for a moment. He hadn't told her that.

"That's what I thought. Time doesn't wait and Lucy is getting to the age where she is going to want a serious commitment. Not just a few small kisses on the cheek. She can't go back to having a normal life, the other humans would kill her. So give her a life that is better than any life she could possibly have had with them. It's what I try to do for Mavis every day".

"When did you get so smart?"

"Well I am the smartest and best looking brother and you are the slightly lovable idiot." Zeref laughed before running to catch up with the girls.

* * *

Natsu stood staring angrily at her door. The current bane of his existence. His new worst enemy. Not because it had done anything in particular, just because he couldn't bring himself to open the damn thing.

He stood looking at it for what felt like hours but had probably been half an hour at best. Until Zeref walked up behind him, knocked and walked away. No wonder him and Mavis made such a good pair, they never minded their own business.

"Come in". Well it's now or never. Natsu opened the door.

"Lucy can I talk to you about something?" Natsu stood in the doorway, until Lucy patted the spot next to her on her bed.

"Course you can".

Natsu swallowed thickly, trying to remind himself to breath. This was important. He couldn't fuck it up.

"Lucy, what do you know about demons in regards to love?" Natsu sat next to her, probably closer then she expected but he wanted to be close for this. He wanted it to be an intimate moment.

"Honestly nothing. Until I seen met Mavis and Zeref I didn't even think demons could fall in love. Is it not the same as humans?"

"Not really. Demons live very long lives, sometimes for an eternity. During that time some demons choose a person. One single person, to fall in love with and be with. They never fall out of love, their loyalty never wavers. Even if that person dies the demon will never move on from them. The reasons some demons never fall in love is because they never want to risk it, not because they can't".

"That sounds really romantic actually. A love like that is something many people wish for".

"Yeah but who'd want it if it was with a demon?" Natsu laughed despite the truth to his statement.

"Well not everyone hates demons you know! Not everyone would be against falling in love with a demon. You can't help who you fall for, human or demon".

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Natsu took a deep breath, ready to continue before Lucy interrupted him.

"Well the answer is yes".

"I didn't ask a question".

"Yes I do love you back".

"I'm serious Lucy, if you choose to be with me that's it. There is no going back on that decision. This is your only chance to leave and not look back. If you say yes again I am not selfless enough to be able to let you go after that and..."

"Yes."

Natsu crashed his lips into hers and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her on top of him to straddle him. Her lips moved against his and he could feel her heart pounding against his chest. He wrapped a hand through her hair and broke of the kiss, looking her in the eyes.

"Marry me?"

"Yes"

His lips met Lucy's more gently this time, his lips moved against hers with a softness he would keep reserved for only her.

"Promise me something?" In that moment she could have asked for anything and he would have given it to her.

"Yes"

"Promise me you will not kill again".

"I promise".

That was the first promise he had ever made to anyone in his entire life.

* * *

"So Lucy, have you picked your option for perpetuity?" Zeref smiled as he put another fork full of food into his mouth.

"Not yet, I don't really understand it all well enough to know what the best option is. What do you think?" Lucy looked at Natsu who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever is right for you is right for me love, I'll be happy as long as you're mine".

"That's not very helpful but thanks anyway. Mavis what do you think?"

Mavis shrugged and quickly swallowed the food that was in her mouth. "It really depends on person preference. Both of them have there perks and set backs. Both options link your soul to your partner and vice versa and both link each others life span to a certain extent. If you chose reincarnation then as long as Natsu is alive you will keep being reborn and because your souls are linked you will always be destined to find each other and fall in love. If you pick immortality then you will live forever with your partner as long as you are not killed. Once you're killed your soul is bound to stay near them until they die and demons can't die unless they are killed or cursed in some way. I picked immortality, but if I ever get killed I don't come back. Reincarnation makes it so if you get killed you can always come back but it also means you grow old while your partner stays youthful. Also there is never a guarantee that you will remember your past lives. Maybe you might get snippets and little memories but there is no guarantee of getting the whole thing. Nobody can make the decision for you Lucy".

"Yeah I know. I think I might go with reincarnation. At least if I get reborn I can always change my mind and remarry Natsu again in another life and pick immortality right?"

"That's why you make the big decisions, you're the smart one and I'm the cute one". Natsu grinned

"Are you saying I'm not cute?" She huffed.

"Nah, you're beautiful. To call you cute would almost be an insult".

"Kiss arse" Zeref shook his head and laughed.

* * *

Natsu walked through the door to the room that was now theirs with Lucy hoisted in a bridal hold while the two of them laughed. She broke into a fit of giggles when he tossed her onto the bed before diving beside her dramatically.

"I can't believe you did that! " she smacked him on the arm.

"Oh please, hasn't anyone ever told you to always make an exit?" He got on top of her, straddling her and nuzzled her neck while tickling her rips causing her to thrash underneath him in laughter and smack his chest until he stoped.

"It's make an entrance you idiot! And throwing me over your shoulder while declaring to all the guest at our wedding that you were gunna go hang out with your new wifey and that they were losers before running out is hardly appropriate!" Despite her scolding she was still laughing.

"Oh please, you say that like our only guest weren't Mavis and Zeref. They are losers, I wasn't lying!" Natsu looked at Lucy and brushed his hand along her cheek. Her brown eyes still held the same fire as they had the first day he met her, only this time she was smiling and it was all for him. "You're finally mine".

"You say that as though you had to wait an eternity for me" she giggled and ran her hand through his hair. Natsu adjusted his position and shifted his weight so Lucy's legs were beside his rips and his head was near her stomach while he looked at her.

"It felt like I did. Even from the first day I met you, you were all I wanted".

"Oh please, you ran from me like a scaredy cat. You looked at me as though I just killed your pet puppy".

"You done worse than that".

"What?" Lucy's eyes widened curiously.

"You made me feel something".

Lucy pulled Natsu further up, so his body covered hers completely as she kissed him. He lips pressing softly against his and her tongue pressing past them and against his own. Her hands tangled through his hair and it made him shudder as her nails dragged alot his scalp. He caressed his hands along her body, trying to commit this moment to his memory. This one perfect moment.

"Make love to me Natsu".

Those five words ignited a fire within him. He kissed the juncture between her neck and shoulder which elicited a shy moan from Lucy's lips.

"Are you sure? You don't have to just because it's our wedding night. Some demon couples wait years before being intimate". Despite his words Natsu's heart was pounding and his skin felt hot.

"Of course I am sure. I might be bad at it though". Lucy started working the buttons on Natsu's shirt.

"We can learn together okay? If I do anything that you don't like tell me and I will stop straight away". Natsu kissed her temple and she smiled at him. Before traveling along his neck and shoulder with kisses. Natsu let out a soft gasp at the feeling.

Both let out moans and soft whimpers as they explored each others body with mouths and hands, occasionally removing an item of clothing that got in their way until they both wore nothing but the rings on their left hands.

Natsu loved how Lucy felt against him, how her body moulded perfectly against his own as he ground his hips against her. Attempting to gain some friction against his aching member. Lucy let out a small moan as his penis ran between her folds and against her most sensitive area.

Natsu pressed himself against her entrance before pausing and looking Lucy in the eyes, searching for any hint that she had change her mind.

"Natsu." Her voice saying his name while in such an intimate position did nothing to slow his hearts erratic beating.

He swallowed thickly. "Do you want me to stop". Lucy shook her head before pulling him close to her and connecting her mouth with his.

He entered he slowly, painfully so. When he was buried completely inside her she hissed and he stayed completely still.

"Did I hurt you?" He stroked her hair in an attempt to sooth her.

"No, quite the opposite. It feels good."

Natsu kissed her in every place he could reach as he moved inside her. The feeling of her around him was like balm for his soul. Every moan and whine that came from Lucy's lips nearly drove him insane.

He thrust inside her slowly at first but his movements quickly became erratic and rather clumsy. He didn't know if it was a miracle or if it was because of the extensive foreplay but when Lucy tightened around him and groaned his name it sent him over the edge completely. Her body shuddered beneath him and he couldn't help the sounds that escaped his lips as he came completely undone inside of her. It took all of his strength to pull out of her and not collapse on top of her.

Lucy wrapped her arms around him and layed her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry, I know it was pretty quick and underwhelming". He whispered as he kissed her hair.

She shook her head. "It was amazing, it was perfect".

* * *

Smoke, ash and thick black flames engulfed the castle in which all demon royalty resided. This was not a problem for most on the demons, however it was a problem for the young human female who the prince of demons called his wife.

The small woman was powerless when the king of demons decided he wanted her dead, and her prince was powerless to protect her. The prince himself had set the entire castle ablaze trying to create enough of a distraction to get her out.

He would hide her, where nobody could ever find her. Somewhere they could live together in peace. He had seen enough fighting and death in the years he had been alive, he just wanted to live peacefully with his love.

Sadly that dream was quickly destroyed when "The King" stabbed her straight through the stomach.

"The King" was nothing but a dirty slur to him now, they were meant to be family but family meant nothing when you were a demon.

"Enjoy her death, it would have happened sooner or later anyway. Yours will be next".

The young prince shook with rage as he held his injured lover. He wanted to kill but couldn't. He had made her a promise, to never kill again. It was the first promise he had ever made to anyone in all his life. His long, miserable life.

Before he had met her he would kill all the time, sometimes out of sheer boredom. He enjoyed the smell of death, the look of fear in someone's eyes as they realized their life was ending.

She saved him from the darkness he had become. Her beautiful smile and caring eyes. She had won his heart within seconds and had held it ever since. It amused him to no end that until he met her he really didn't believe he had a heart.

She didn't fear him, she wasn't disgusted by him. She was kind to him and even when she found out how evil he really was, she had faith in him. She told him he didn't have to be bad, he could choose to change if he wanted to. And for her, he really did want to.

Now, lying in his arms on the stone floor with a hole through her stomach... he had never seen her look so small. So fragile. Her long blond hair surrounding her head like a halo and tears in her eyes.

He could hear himself screaming but he didn't know how to make it stop. He could feel something wet pouring down his face. Funny, he had never cried until this moment. He had seen others do it, but never experience the sensation for himself until now.

Her hand touched his face and it nearly broke him. Here she was, dying and yet she still wanted to offer him comfort.

"Please don't cry, I'm not really going anywhere. I will always be with you". Her voice was weak and soft. Her breathing was getting more and more shallow and she kept letting out tiny coughs that shook her entire body.

"I promise, I will do anything to bring you back". He could hear his own voice crack.

"Please don't kill anyone". Her eyes looked so sad and she started coughing again. Small dots of blood now adorned her mouth.

"What if they try to kill me huh?". He smiled through the thick tears that now soaked his cheeks, he didn't know what else to say. He wished he did, maybe he could say something more meaningful. But he didn't.

"I want you to live okay? Always defend yourself, but never kill unless you have to". Her chest shook and he knew their time was almost up.

"I love you, I promise I won't ever give up on you. I will find you wherever you go and bring you back to me".

"That's the second promise you ever made to me".

"I will do everything within my power to keep it and I will end myself if I can't, just so I can find you in the next life".

"I'm scared".

"I'm here my love, you don't need to be afr..." She died before he could even finish his sentence.

She died shaking, bleeding with tears leaking from her eyes. She died trying to keep a brave face but faltering during her final seconds. She died without a single person in the world loving her, only a demon.

She died scared, and that haunted him most of all. She was scared and hurt... and there was not a thing in the world he could do about it.

He just held her lifeless body and cried. He cried so hard his entire chest hurt and his head started pounding. He wailed to the sky as though it would actually listen. He screamed and roared and held her small body as though it was the only anchor attaching him to the ground.

He had never felt so weak in all his life, he truly wished for death. Death would be easier than this but he couldn't give up, not without at least trying to keep his promise to her.

He lifted his head to the sound out footsteps coming toward him. The footsteps of the person who killed his love.

"Well, well, well, what a sad little picture we have here".

Natsu shook with rage as he stood up to face his brother. His eyes held am evil in them that was never there before.

"How could you do this to her?"

"It's your fault! You are the reason those villagers came here and killed Mavis! It was her village" Zeref pointed at the now still and lifeless Lucy.

"They tried to kill her too Zeref! She tried to protect Mavis, you know that!"

"Yeah well it was still your fault! Lucy will come back. Mavis won't".

"That isn't my fault. I will kill you for what you have done".

With that, Natsu jumped out the nearest window. He would find Lucy and she would fall in love with him again. He would grow stronger and kill his brother. He would do it.

He was so enraged he didn't notice Zeref behind him. He didn't feel the blow to the head that rendered him unconscious.

"Time for us to have a little experiment together Natsu. Mavis will come back, and you're going to help me whether you want to or not".

* * *

"Natsu, look who I brought to see you!". Zeref walked into the room that held a restrained Natsu. He had woken up there and had no idea how much time had past since. He had been beaten and burned and prodded. Non of that compared to the feeling of dread that washed through him as he looked up to see Zeref holding baby Lucy.

"Let her go. You have me here, she can go live a normal life never having met me. Please."

Natsu struggled against his binds but it done no good. There was nothing he could do when Zeref snapped the infants neck and through the lifeless form on Natsu as though it was a doll. Natsu's screams were so broken that they were almost completely silent.

* * *

**A/N**

This chapter was 22 pages long and I have honestly been stewing over it. I wanted it so perfect for all of you because this is the chapter I have been planning since the start of the story! What did you all think? Did I surprise any of you? Did you enjoy it? I hope so!

I have honestly re-written it about 3 times because it just wasn't coming together the way I wanted but I think this is about as perfect as I can make it! I really struggled with the smut part honestly but I think it turned out okay!

I am so sorry the update wasn't sooner but I hope you all love it and thankyou to anyone who takes the time to read it!

I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful day and sincerely hope that my writing makes you happy or excited as you read it!

BD4414


	17. Chapter 16

_**Content warning: this chapter is quite dark, if this is something that you do not wish to read I completely understand and will provide a synopsis in the A/N for anyone who still wishes to keep up with the plot but does not wish to know any gory details.**_

* * *

"Natsu, look who I brought to see you!". Zeref walked into the room that held a restrained Natsu.

He had woken up there and had no idea how much time had past since. He had been beaten and burned and prodded.

None of that compared to the feeling of dread that washed through him as he looked up to see Zeref holding baby Lucy.

"Let her go. You have me here, she can go live a normal life never having met me. Please."

Natsu struggled against his binds but it done no good. There was nothing he could do when Zeref snapped the infants neck and through the lifeless form on Natsu as though it was a doll. Natsu's screams were so broken that they were almost completely silent.

* * *

Natsu stared at the ceiling, as he had every day for he didn't even know how long. His straps still held him in place so his movement was always limited to the smallest of struggles. The room was plain, with only a door and a large window that Zeref often looked through. He felt weak, as he always did. He prayed for death, for an end to the suffering his brother had put him through.

Zeref had performed all sort of sick experiments on him. Turns out demons didn't have to eat to stay alive, only if they wanted to have any sort of energy. It was blessing that he hadn't been given food in such a long time honestly. He didn't need energy and he was disgusted at the amount of times he had been forced to lay in his own waste. No food meant that, was no longer a problem for him.

Three Lucy's. Zeref had killed three Lucy's in front of him, including the first one. Two of them were only babies, one of which Natsu was put on Natsu's chest while still alive. He was forced to lay there and watch as the baby started to roll off him he could do nothing but listen to the sickening thump of the baby hitting the floor.

She screamed until she died. From pain and injuries or dehydration Natsu wasn't sure but the sound of her cries replayed in his head every single day. He had never hated anyone as much as he hated his brother.

* * *

"Natsu guess what?" Please no. Every time he said those words it meant he had cooked up some new sick torture. Natsu didn't respond. He could barely muster the energy to look away from the spot on the ceiling and toward his Zeref.

Zeref, was holding the hand of a small child. She was at least eight years old. Had he really been tied to this table for that long? Natsu's felt like he would throw up when he looked properly at the little girl, he should have known immediately but his mind was pretty broken these days. Lucy.

Natsu turned his head and shut his eyes. There was nothing he could do, no matter how badly he wanted to. He couldn't watch this again.

"Natsu, that's so rude of you! This precious little one is our guest". Zeref's tone sounded gleeful and it made Natsu's hands shake.

"Please. Please Zeref I am begging you. Let her go, do whatever you want to me. Anything at all. I will give you anything, do anything. Just let her go." His eyes stang but he couldn't cry. He had no tears left inside him, and no sustenance to create more.

He felt his binds dissolve but he didn't have the strength to move anymore. Instead he just looked at his brother who was knelt down beside Lucy.

"Okay little princess, you are going to stay here and take care of my brother while he gets his energy back. You will need to help him eat and drink, if you need anything just ask me okay? I will visit every day and bring you anything you want to thankyou for doing this. Can I count on you?" His tone was gentle. Natsu sighed in relief. It was so stupid to hope, but he hoped beyond anything that Zeref had changed his mind about making them suffer.

Lucy nodded enthusiastically. "You can count on me, I will take the best care of him ever!".

* * *

It was a week before Natsu could moved his arms. A week spent with little Lucy. She stuck true to her word of taking care of him. She fed him and gave him water and made sure she moved his arms and legs every day. He was shocked when he found out she was actually ten years old and just small for her age.

Zeref came once a day to make sure Natsu went to the toilet and to clean him. Natsu felt disgusted at having his brother touch him at all, but he didn't want Lucy doing those jobs either. She was a child, it was not a job a child should have to do.

Natsu was moved from the table to a bed, he had forgotten what a bed felt like. Though he was never moved from the room he was in.

After a few months he could sit up by himself, he felt himself becoming stronger each day. The room that once his hell turned into his heaven. He spent all day talking with Lucy and playing games with her. He read books to her whenever she asked him to and she say to him whenever he asked her to. Her voice was like a balm to his broken soul.

A year later he could stand and walk on his own. He could do things for himself, still Lucy stayed by his side. Zeref only visited them to bring food and Natsu stupidly allowed himself to think that things would be okay. It wasn't the best life, but it was far better then what he thought he would be stuck with for eternity.

"Natsu! You're it!" Lucy squealed as she put her hand on his back before running away, giggling. The room wasn't exactly big and tag was not an ideal game to play, but they made do with jumping across the beds and running around them.

The click of the door opening halted their game immediately.

"Natsu, you are looking great". Zeref smirked at him and he felt uneasy.

"Thankyou brother. As always you look terrific". Be as polite as possible. Do not anger him. Keep him as happy as you can.

"Lucy, can I borrow you for a moment? I need your help with something sweetie". Lucy shrugged her shoulders and walked toward him but Natsu grabbed her wrist to stop her. No. Please no.

"I will help you brother! Anything you need I will happily do". Natsu's tone sounded cheerful but his eyes were pleading at his brother. As he pulled Lucy behind him and dropped to one knee. She was still small, and almost completely shielded by Natsu's body.

"Natsu, you don't need to get on your knee for me. I need you're help too actually, I just need Lucy's first. I've heard her baking skills before she came here were amazing and the chief is sick today. You can help carry to food once we are done". Natsu didn't by it but Lucy had already walked around him and toward Zeref and he couldn't moved quick enough to stop her.

"Please. I will do anything, please don't hurt her". Natsu looked at his brother with tearful eyes.

Zeref grinned at him. "Anything?"

Natsu nodded his head quickly in response. "Name it and I will do it. Please don't hurt her".

Zeref opened to door wider. "Come on then. I have something I want you to do for me. Change of plans Lucy, Natsu is coming with us".

Natsu followed Zeref through the castle. It had been completely repaired, better then it was before and judging from the view outside the windows it had been moved too. They were only walking for a few minutes when they came to a large laboratory with a human sized glass tube in the centre.

Natsu's palms were sweating and his heart paced erratically. Then he looked at Lucy and it all went away. If he did whatever Zeref asked, she would be safe. That was all that mattered.

"What do you need me to do?"

Zeref opened the door of the tube. "Climb in".

"What will happen once I do that?"

"It will fill with a liquid that regresses aging. I want to see if I can use it to bring Mavis back if I alter the formula. I needed you healthy enough to be able to do this or it could have killed you".

"That's why you got Lucy to take care of me?"

Zeref nodded. "I knew you wouldn't eat or drink for me so I figured getting her to take care of you would give you incentive to get better".

"Promise me you won't hurt her. You will let her go so she can live a normal life".

"I promise. Now climb on in".

Natsu walked toward the tube but Lucy grabbed his sleeve before he climbed in. "I don't want you to go in there. It looks scary. I don't want you to be scared".

Natsu smiled softly at her and knelt down. "I'm sorry princess, I need to go in there for now. It's all I can do to protect someone very special to me. I'm not afraid, it's easy to be brave when you have something to be brave for. You're going to go and have a normal life and have lots of fun adventures now okay?"

Lucy's hand fell to her side as she let him go and looked at him tearfully. He didn't hug her goodbye as he climbed into the tube and the door shut and locked behind him. He turned and looked at Zeref.

"I'm ready".

Zeref pushed a button and slowly a green liquid pooled around his feet and rose toward his ankles. He didn't take his eyes off Lucy, smiling softly at her.

"Oh, Natsu one more thing!" Zeref smirked. "When you wake back up, you will forget everything. Including the promise I am about to break".

"What?"

Zeref grabbed Lucy from behind, she screamed and struggled against his grip. Natsu banged his fist against the glass, trying to break it. He kicked and punched until he heard the bones in his hands crack. He still didn't stop and the glass still wouldn't break.

"Let her go! You promised me!"

Zeref was laughing manically. Still restraining a screaming Lucy.

"Help me Natsu! He's hurting me!"

"You heard her Natsu, help her. I'm hurting her".

Natsu slammed his shoulder against the glass, it still wouldn't break. The liquid was now at his knees.

"Natsu! Please!" Zeref picked up a knife and held it against Lucy's throat.

"Come on Natsu, aren't you going to help her? Save her?" Zeref had a wicked grin.

Tears of desperation poured down Natsu's cheeks as he through himself into the glass, his movements becoming slower as the liquid reached his hips.

"Please! Please let her go! I'll give you anything! Please!" Natsu screamed through the tears as he continued to punch and throw himself around. Trying to get out, to get to Lucy.

"You're not going to help her? Pity". Zeref slit Lucy's throat and she fell to the ground clutching her neck. Blood pouring between her fingers and from her mouth as she struggled and choked.

"No!" Natsu shouted so loudly his voice broke. He stopped struggling and instead started screaming.

"No! Lucy, I am so sorry. I am so sorry Lucy. Please Lucy, I am so sorry! Lucy!" Natsu's words became broken by sobs as the liquid continued to rise. Lucy's hands fell from her neck and she became still as her blood pooled around her on the floor and the liquid in the tube filled past Natsu's head.

The last thing he seen before losing consciousness was Zeref carrying her body away.

* * *

"Zeref, Zeref, come quick!" Happy flew into the room in a panicked state.

"What is it Happy?"

"It's Natsu. He won't wake up. I've tried everything".

"Fuck". Zeref followed Happy out of the room, contemplating all the ways things could possibly get worse in regards to his plans.

* * *

"Lucy, why do you always look at that particular key. Is it more special then the others?" Erza moved next to her as they sat near the fire.

"It's the last key Natsu gave me. I haven't even made the contract with it yet. It feels wrong to do it when he isn't with me". Lucy looked at the key between her fingers. Leo the lion. Perhaps it was time.

"Well what are your other keys for? I don't know much about celestial magic.

"I only have four of them. This one is my a Zodiac key. Its for Leo the Lion. The other gold key is for Aquarius. The two silver ones are for Draco the celestial dragon and a Nikora I call Plue. Natsu gave me three of the keys but Aquarius belonged to my mother before she died".

Erza nodded as Lucy pointed to and explained each key, a small smile on her face.

"You miss him a lot don't you?"

"Yeah, I just hope he is okay. I worry about him mostly. All the more reason for me to go back as soon as I can right?"

Erza nodded at her. "Right. Gray and I will be with you every step of the way. You should probably make a contract with your new spirit soon though. In case you ever need to call upon him".

"Yeah you're right. Wanna see how it's done? You might find it a little boring though. It's mostly formalities really".

"Sure, however it's done has to be more interesting then hanging out with him" Erza pointed at Gray, who was sleeping sounding and unaware.

"Yeah, you're right about that too". Lucy laughed. "Open gate of the Lion, Leo".

He appeared in front of her in a flash, a grin plastered to his face.

"Hello Princess, I am at your service".

* * *

A/N

Thankyou to everyone who has read and reviewed or Followed/Favorited this story! These past few months have been really difficult and writing at times has seemed downright impossible but you guys honestly keep me going, I want to say a massive thankyou to :

FireShifter

Valerioux

Anna5949

Javakitty2

Fafou14

Alleycat1138

Aviend

ABT4Life

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ThewhiteSparrow

Lovetoreadff

TheSevenFairyDeadlyTailSins

Thank all of you so much for the wonderful reviews you have all left, it truly means the entire world to me

Lots of love and well wishes to everyone xx

* * *

Synopsis:

Natsu is still asleep and remembering his past.

He is held captive by Zeref and tortured for years and has been starved on nutrition, rendering him to weak to move. One day Zeref brings in a ten year old Lucy to nurse Natsu back to health. He reveals later he only done so because Natsu wouldn't be able to survive his next experiment if he wasn't healthy. Natsu agrees to the experiment willingly on exchange for Zeref letting Lucy go to live a normal life.

Zeref puts Natsu in a tube that fills with Liquid then reveals that it will reverse his aging and wipe his memories. After doing this he kills Lucy and breaks his promise to Natsu while Natsu watches from inside the tube, unable to break out or Lucy.

Lucy is still traveling with Erza and Gray but is having feelings of uneasiness and increasing worry for Natsu. Lucy finally makes her contract with Leo, revealing that she didn't do it before because it felt wrong to do it without Natsu there because he always watched her make contracts with the spirits of the keys he gave her.


	18. Chapter 17

The castle filled with laughter as the unsuspecting children chased each other through the halls. Blissfully unaware of their past and completely unknowing of what the future held for them.

"I'm going to catch you Lucy!" Natsu's voice carried through the halls and Lucy squealed and ran faster. He was right her tail.

"No you won't!" Lucy let out a yell as Natsu grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.

"Hey. No fair, you grabbed my shirt!"

"It is so fair! I promised I wouldn't fly to catch you and I didn't. Now pay up." Natsu could hardly contain his laughter.

He was ten years old and had known Lucy just as long as he was old. Zeref found her in an orphanage as a baby after her parents had died in a fire. He had loved her as long as he could remember.

"Fine. You get one favour that I can't say no to." Lucy crossed her arms and pouted.

"I want a kiss." Natsu smiled a toothy grin and Lucy's nose wrinkled.

"A kiss? Come on, pick something else!"

"I thought you said I could pick anything I wanted? Well I want a kiss."

Lucy glared at him before closing her eyes and leaning in to give him a swift peck on the cheek before giggling, jumping up and running away with Natsu chasing her.

"No fair!"

"You only said you wanted a kiss! You never said where."

* * *

Zeref walked back and forth across the room in which Natsu's sleeping form resided, his body was unmoving and colder than normal but sweat still slicked his forehead and caused his hair to stick to his face. He took shallow breaths as Zeref and Happy watched.

"Zeref, is Natsu going to be okay?"

Zeref's face wore an expression of panic as he continued pacing and mumbling to himself and ignoring his brothers blue friend.

"What are we going to do to get him better?"

Still Happy's questions fell upon deaf ears. The small cat walked out of the room completely unnoticed.

"I guess it's up to me now. I'm going to either find Lucy or find somebody else who can help Natsu."

With that he flew out of the nearest window. Taking nothing with him but his determination to help the people he loved.

* * *

"I can't believe I am back here" Lucy whispered mostly to herself as she took in the sight before her. She didn't know what she expected by coming back to her childhood home. Could she even call it that when she hadn't even spent her entire childhood there?

She thought she would see rubble. The remains of the house that had been burned to a crisp. Instead there was nothing. Just grass and weeds. The only proof that this was once the place her family had lived was a plaque and even that had clearly not been maintained. Everything was gone. Every clue she thought she would have found was gone.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Gray whispered to Erza.

"Of course I am sure, I wouldn't have came here if I wasn't."

A soft breeze hit Lucy's face and she realized that tears had fallen across her cheeks as the wind cooled them.

Lucy jumped at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Erza looking at her with worry in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I thought there would be... I don't know! Something! Anything! This was all for nothing now and I am no closer to finding out who really killed my parents then I was when we started."

"We can look around, there might be something here." Gray offered.

"No. Lets just go home." Lucy readjusted her bag on her shoulders.

"We could ask some of the towns people? Its only a half hour walk?" Erza spoke in a voice more gentle than one would think she was capable of.

"Okay... thankyou guys."

"It's no problem Lucy. We are a family now. Of course we will help ya." Gray smiled and wrapped an arm around her and an arm around Erza.

"A family?" Lucy looked at him, confused.

"Well yeah. I think of you both like family. Like a band of siblings all going on an adventure together! Don't you think?" Gray looked at her expectantly.

Lucy felt a smile unwilling find its place on her lips and a warm feeling overtook her.

"Yeah. A family." She beamed.

She had never had siblings before. She really loved that she had some now. Maybe -even if she didn't find anything- this little adventure wasn't a waste of time at all.

* * *

"Natsu. Can we talk for a minute?" Natsu turned around to see the woman he loved looking at him and shuffling her feet nervously.

"Sure Lucy, is everything okay?"

"Well... yes... or no. I'm ...I don't know." She looked down as her shoulders slumped and Natsu pulled her toward him with his arms around her shoulders.

"What's the matter love? You can tell me." He kissed her hair and she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I'm pregnant."

Natsu felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Say that again." He pleaded as he kissed her forehead, put both hands on her cheeks and looked into her eyes.

"I'm pregnant. I'm having your baby-"

Natsu interrupted her with two kisses. The first one to her lips and the second one to her stomach as he fell to his knees and hugged her middle.

"We are going to be a family. I'm going to be the best dad ever."

"We aren't even married Natsu".

"Marry me?"

"Now?" Lucy looked at him shocked as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Now, tomorrow, next week, next year. I don't care as long as I get to be with you".

She smiled down at him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"How about after the baby is born?"

* * *

The small town was busy and filled with life, people smiling and laughing as they walked. Lucy's eyes were drawn to a young family, the father carrying a toddler on his shoulders while the mother carried a tiny baby in her arms. She found herself wondering if her and Natsu would ever be like that. She hoped so. Maybe. One day.

She looked at Erza who was already quite a few feet away questioning different people. Well questioning wasn't the right word, she was interrogating people while Gray watched on in amusement and cringed in what Lucy could only assume, was pity.

Lucy's eyes went back to the family to steal another glance at a future she longed to have. Not that her and Natsu could ever walk together in public so freely. He was beautiful, but he was a demon. One of the most hated beings in the world. She knew better then to hope that anyone beyond the village near the castle would ever accept them.

She didn't care either way. She had her spirts, Natsu, Levy, Happy, Zeref, Gajeel and now she had her new brother and sister. Her family. She didn't think she would ever have that much. Now she did, she would cherish it.

"You will answer my questions or I will bang your head against the ground until I break the answers from your skull". Her thoughts were interrupted by Erza shouting at two random men who had probably been rude to her or ignored her or something along those lines.

"Listen Lady, we don't know the answers to any of your stupid questions! If you want answers go ask a fortune teller or some shit."

"I don't know any fortune tellers idiot."

Lucy decided it was best to intervene before Erza made good on her promise to actually hurt these guys. She sprinted over and put her hand on Erza's shoulder.

"Erza, I know a fortune teller back home. I can't believe I didn't think to ask her sooner!" Lucy quickly turned to the guys Erza had been feuding with "I am really sorry for any trouble. My sister was just trying to help me. We didn't mean any harm."

"Yeah well I suppose we can understanding someone wanting to look out for their sister."

Lucy nodded and turned to walk away with Erza and Gray in tow when the other man- who had been staying quiet throughout the argument- spoke.

"I do know something that might help. Something about how the royals of starlight were killed." He spoke only in a whisper as though he was frightened to say anything.

"Please tell me." Lucy whispered as she turned back to the men.

"There was a story my parents told me about it when I was younger. I don't know if it is just a rumour or if any of it is true" Lucy nodded and the man continued.

"He came cloaked in darkness then killed with care and kindness.

Black flames burned them, his love ended their lives.

A plan was hatched to spare only one.

The one who is will live on stolen time."

A shiver went down Lucy's spine as goose bumps littered across her arms. She was the only one who had survived that night.

* * *

"Natsu! I can't do this!" Lucy screamed as she clung to his arm and squeezed tightly, her entire body glistened with sweat.

"Yes you can Luce. If anyone can do this it's you" He whispered soothingly while wiping her hair from her forehead with his spare hand. Her hand loosened from his arm, the contraction passed until the next one.

"I'm so tired. I know I have to push but I just can't." Lucy's chest was moving up and down rapidly with her breathing. Natsu leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

"I am so proud of you. You are so strong and I am so proud of you. Just try to relax."

"Yeah well that is easier said than done. I can already feel- ahhhh." Lucy's hand tightened once again and her face contorted in pain. Natsu had never felt more helpless in his life. He hated seeing her in pain... Still, he couldn't wait to finally meet their baby. Lucy's screams grew louder as she struggled to push and Natsu moved himself to in between her legs so he could hold the baby when it came out.

"Lucy, I can see the top of its head! You're doing it Lucy!" He didn't want to mention just how painful and strange the sight was, she would never forgive him if he did that.

A few large pushes later, Natsu and Lucy were holding what they now knew was a baby girl

"She is so perfect, what do you want to name her?" Natsu whispered.

"I think we should call her Scarlet. It matches her hair." Lucy giggled.

Natsu thought about it for a moment before looking at Lucy, about to agree when she started shaking violently. Her eyes lolling back into her head.

"Zeref! Zeref come quick!" Natsu screamed and his brother ran into the room in panic.

"Zeref it's Lucy! Something is wrong with Lucy." Natsu was looking at her helplessly.

"Natsu, it is okay. Even if Lucy dies she will come back again. Her soul is linked to yours." Zeref leaned over Lucy and reached toward the small baby that Natsu had cradled to his chest.

"No! Save Lucy! You gotta save her!"

Zeref smiled at him softly.

"Okay but you will have to help me, follow me."

They walked from the room, Natsu turning back to spare one last glance at Lucy's twitching form. Within minutes he was standing inside of a lab that felt so familiar, yet he couldn't recall having ever been there.

"Lucy used to much strength, her magic is depleting faster than her body can create it. We can save her if you give her some of your own strength. Without it she will die."

"Tell me what to do."

Zeref pointed a large tube in the middle of the room and it made Natsu uneasy. Something inside of him was screaming at him not to go near it.

"Get inside of this, once inside it will fill with a liquid that will drain some of your magical energy. Then we can put Lucy inside and that same liquid will restore her. We don't have much time so be quick."

Natsu weighed up his options. He knew that he didn't trust the tube one bit. He also knew that Lucy would die if he didn't do anything. With that thought in mind he handed baby Scarlet to his brother and climbed into the tube.

"Okay, now what do I do?"

Before Zeref could answer the tube started filling with liquid.

Natsu fell into a sleep like state, but he could he mumbles of conversation that he didn't understand.

"The baby is useless Mavis, it has too much of it's mothers power and not enough of it's fathers."

"I need to make sure they are even."

"No no, this is all wrong. Her power wasn't light enough."

"I've decided to spare the vile life of my brothers spawn. She is being send away tomorrow."

"They will never find her in another life. I have changed her name to Er-."

Then everything went black once more.

* * *

Lucy watched Erza and Gray with curiosity as she walked. They way they both carried themselves seemed different from the people in the town.

"Hey Gray! How old are you?" She titled her head to the side as she waited for an answer.

"I'm Twenty One, why?" He looked at her with a raised brow.

"No reason. What about you Erza? How old are you?" Lucy turned her attention to her red headed friend.

"I don't know my exact age. I am much older than I look, I just stopped keeping track of my age over Seventy years ago."

"Seventy years!" Lucy shouted, looking with wide eyes and an open mouth at Erza.

"Yeah, give or take. I use to live in a slave camp and we didn't celebrate birthday's there. So I didn't exactly know my age to begin with. Then when I left there I was experimented on by a mad scientist of sorts and I haven't aged since. No point keeping track of age when you don't age at all ." Erza shrugged and continued walking.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry, that must have been hard to talk about."

"It use to be. Time tends to help experiences lose the control they once had on your mind."

Lucy shook her head and continued walking. She couldn't fathom what life must have beeen like for Erza. She was brave and strong, that much is for sure.

Still, one question lingered in her mind that she would never ask out loud.

What kind of parents would let their daughter end up in a slave camp?

* * *

A/N

Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! To my dear Friend FireShifter! This chapter is for you! I hope you enjoy reading it and I hope you have an awesome birthday! I have been keeping track of the time and date in America just so I wouldn't miss you birthday due to time differences in our countries! I hope google has it right and that it is actually your birthday where you are! Happy Happy Happy Birthday!

Lots of love and well wishes on your special day my friend! Xox

A/N2

I hope you all enjoyed reading! This chapter is dedicated to FireShifter (my birthday present to them)

Please read and review! Follow and favorite!

Lots of love and well wishes!

Until next time!

Also I hope I got a few gasps of shock and horror out of you all during this chapter!


	19. Chapter 18

Natsu woke up to the sound of heavy handed knocks against his door and a distressed Zeref shouting.

"Natsu. I need your help, get up!"

Natsu stood on tired legs and opened his door only to meet the sight of a very dirty Zeref holding a young girl in his arms.

"What happened? Who is she?"

"This is Lucy. Her house caught on fire... I wasn't quick enough to save everyone but I did manage to save her. I healed her as much as I could on the way back here but there is still more that needs doing."

"Oh. What do you want me to do?"

"Here." Zeref placed the girl into Natsu's arms. "Put her somewhere comfortable while I go get supplies." Zeref ran from the room and Natsu started walking towards the bed and placed her down as gently as he could.

He looked over her and noted that despite all the soot and small burns littering her skin, she was actually very pretty.

Soon Zeref was back in the room and working on all the girls small injuries.

As soon as he was finished he walked from the room, telling Natsu to watch over Lucy. So that's what he did. He slept on the floor, wondering if the girl would try and kill him when she woke up. He wouldn't be surprised if she did.

She didn't. She just cried. For an entire week she cried. She cried for her parents and brother who died in the fire. One day Natsu got sick of her crying. It wasn't right for her to be crying, she should always be happy. He didn't know why, but he wanted her to be happy. He also didn't understand why he felt a constant pulling in his chest every time he seen her. A yearning to touch her and be close to her.

"How many tears can a human being produce before the run out?" He whispered.

Lucy looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"I have an idea. How about you tell me why you are crying so much and I will try to make it better."

"Why do you care that I am crying?"

Natsu shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I just do."

"I have no one now. Everyone I cared about is gone and now I have no one. I know it's selfish to think of it that way. I am awful." Lucy put her face in her hands and sobbed.

"Well that's silly. You don't have no one. I know I aint much but I am still someone."

"You can't take care of me forever."

"Why not? Natsu frowned.

"It wouldn't be fair to you."

"It would be if I wanted to do it."

"Why would you want to do it? Taking care of me is rotten work."

"Not to me... Not if it's you." His voice was just a whisper but it was filled with conviction.

Natsu wasn't quite sure how he ended up on top of Lucy, kissing trails along her neck and back to her mouth... but the more he thought about it the more he could confidently say that she was the one who kissed him first.

* * *

The night was calm and quiet. Peaceful. A direct contrast of Natsu's emotions as he flew through the sky desperately trying to find Lucy. He fought the tears that came to his eyes as he thought about the possibility that he had lost her forever. She was the most important thing in his world, the thought of losing her was a thought he could not bare. One that he never thought he would have.

Yet there he was, flying through the sky and praying to whatever every deity in existence that he could make this right. Just to hold her again would be blessing. One he didn't deserve but a blessing all the same.

The irony of a demon praying was not lost on him. It was a completely ridiculous notion. A desperate man does crazy things, a desperate demon is absolutely insane.

He could feel his heart hurting, until now he had never thought of heartbreak to be a literal term yet his felt like it would rip completely in half. If it did Lucy could keep both halves with her, he didn't want a heart if he didn't have her.

After all they had been through together, all the things they had done and were yet to do he was losing her and it was all his fault.

He spotted her standing on the edge of a cliff, the place where he had asked her to marry him. He should have known she would go there, she always went there when she was upset. Perhaps she wanted him to find her, however he knew that was unlikely.

He landed a few metres away from her, not wanting to startle her. She still heard him.

"Hello E.N.D". She spoke it a sad voice as she turned to face him.

"Lucy, I'm Natsu". He spoke softly and moved to walk toward her.

"Don't you dare!" She pointed toward him as she shouted. "Don't you dare come near me!". The tears that started pouring down her face broke his heart. It was his fault she was hurting.

"Lucy please come home. We can talk about this! We can fix this!". He pleaded with his fist clenched at his sides.

"Fix this? Can you bring my parents back to life! You killed them E.N.D!".

"I didn't kill them! I swear I didn't kill them! Please Lucy, you know I wouldn't do something like that!". Natsu let the tears run freely down his face. He didn't care if he cried anymore, he was losing her.

"I don't know anything about you. You lied about who you were for years! Years! You killed my parents and then to add insult to injury, you tricked me into falling in love with you. I thought you loved me too! Instead you made a fool of me. The stories were all right. A demon can't feel love at all, only happiness in the pain they cause others!". Every word she said felt like a knife slicing straight through his heart. The worst thing was, he could see in her eyes she believe it.

"Lucy please... I didn't kill your parents. I would never want to hurt you, I love you!".

"You're a demon. You don't even know what love is! Why did you even keep me alive this long! Why me Natsu!". Natsu could see Lucy's body shaking with sobs. He didn't know how to make this better but he wouldn't stop trying.

"I had no right to want you. You were a being of pure light and I was a creature of darkness. You deserved better and I knew it from the first moment I layed eyes on you. I had no right to want you but that wouldn't stop me from taking you anyway! I love you Lucy! If a demon can't feel love then what the hell does that make me?"

He knew that he was shouting but he couldn't help it. His entire body was shaking and his fist stayed clenched at his sides, this was it. She was leaving him and if she walked away, he could do nothing to stop her.

"It makes you a liar, goodbye Natsu".

Natsu watched in horror as Lucy threw herself over the edge of the cliff. He flew after her, hoping to catch her before she hit the bottom. He didn't even manage to get close. All he accomplished was staring into her eyes during the final moments before she hit to rocks below and became a broken mess at the face of the cliff.

He screamed in agony, the agony of seeing the only woman he had ever loved dead because of him.

She didn't even have a body to hold while he cried. So Natsu flew up as high as he could manage, before slicing his own wings off and plummeting toward the rocks below. He close his eyes to brace for the impact and felt nothing as Zeref grabbed him from free fall.

"Let go of me! I want to be with Lucy! Let me die with Lucy." Natsu screamed as tears streamed from his eyes.

"If I have to live without Mavis you can live without Lucy. She is going to come back anyway Natsu." Zeref put Natsu down on the ground but Natsu stood quickly.

"Why did Lucy think that I killed her parents? I would never do-"

"I don't know. Its okay. She will come back and she won't remember a thing."

"What do you mean come back? She's dead, there is no coming back!"

"Her soul is tied to yours idiot! In time she will reincarnate and become yours all over again."

"I don't want to wait... I don't want to wait for her to come back... I don't want to remember he dying."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. Just do as I say."

This time when Natsu climbed into the tube he done so completely unaware that it was Zeref who killed Lucy's parents.

He was also unaware that his daughter had been in that very tube less than a week before. A different liquid used on her but the same container to hold it.

* * *

Happy flew. Despite the rain and the wind. Despite the aching of his muscles and the shivers that tore through his tiny body. He just kept flying with only one thought to keep him going.

'I will help Natsu and I will help Lucy. I don't know what is happening or why but I will help them. I won't let anything hurt my family.'

Every time he wanted to give up he thought of them and kept flying. He wasn't stupid, he knew they weren't his actual parents. He didn't care. They were his mum and dad. They took care of him and fed him and loved him. They let him sleep in there bed and helped him learn how to fly. He would use what they taught him to help them.

He flew while the rain pelted his tiny body and made him heavy. He flew while his stomach growled and hurt. He flew and flew and flew until he couldn't possibly fly any longer. Then he fell, and when he fell he didn't even have enough strength left to stop. He would have died if it hadn't of been for the blue haired child and her pretty, white cat.

"It's okay little guy. I'll take care of you and get you all fixed up okay?" The child spoke, her voice was sweet and kind.

Happy didn't have it in him to speak or do much of anything really, so he just nodded and went to sleep.

* * *

Natsu tried he best to stay hidden as he watched her. He knew it was creepy and that if she caught sight of him she would at best, run away screaming. He couldn't help himself. She was so beautiful as she danced through the forest like a nymph of some sort. Her long, golden hair flowed behind her as she ran, jumped and twirled in circles.

She was lovely.

He was hidden in the leaves and beaches.

Natsu closed his eyes for just a moment. He imagined what would happen if he were brave enough to talk to her. If he were normal enough to not scare her away. If he only weren't a demon.

But he was a demon and he wasn't brave. So he opened his eyes, prepared to stay hidden and watch her from afar. Only that wasn't an option anymore, because while he had closed his eyes. She had climbed his tree and was staring straight at him.

Natsu tried to hide from her stare and stayed silent, hoping that she would just climb back down the tree and run away without causing a fuss. He was a demon but he was only fifteen years old. Not particularly powerful. Maybe she would realize that and just leave him be.

"It's okay, don't be afraid. I'm not gunna hurt you."

Natsu didn't respond, but he didn't move away as she climbed closer to him.

"Why were you watching me?" She looked at him intensely and Natsu felt heat rising to his cheeks and his palms became damp.

"Can you speak?"

Natsu nodded his head in response.

"Do you have a name?"

"I'd rather not say." Natsu wriggle slightly. His clothes suddenly felt too tight and restricting as he shrunk under her stare.

"Well if we are going to be friends I have to have something to call you!" This girl was weird. She didn't even know him and she had just busted him staring at her. Even he knew that this wasn't the normal response someone should have under the circumstances.

"Natsu. You can call me Natsu."

"That's a great name! You know it means summer right? I guess that makes sense with you hair looking so flower like." The girl rambled before trailing off.

"My hair does not look like a flower!"

"Yeah it does. Its pink and pretty!"

"It is not pretty!"

"Fine, it's not pretty than. Whatever." The girl held up her hands and shrugged but Natsu could swear he heard her mumble something about him being in denial.

"I'm Lucy by the way. Not that you asked or anything."

Natsu thought that Lucy suited her name very much. It seemed right that she be called Lucy.

* * *

Natsu tried to move but couldn't find the strength. He looked around and realized he was very close to the area where he first met Lucy. How fitting that he would die here. He wasn't stupid, he knew Zeref would find him. Even if he didn't, Natsu wouldn't last long in the condition he was in.

He just hoped that Lucy had gotten away. Please let Lucy get away.

His prayers were not answered because he heard her footsteps as she ran toward him. Her clothes were torn and her hair was damp, blood streaked through her fringe from the cuts on her face. He wanted to scream at her that she was stupid for finding him when she should have been running away. He could feel his eyes burning with the tears that threatened to fall.

"Lucy, leave". He pleaded with her as she fell down next to him.

"No, I'm not leaving you". She sobbed as she held his head to her chest. Despite everything, the feeling of her arms around him made his heart race just as it always did whenever she touched him.

"Please Lucy, save yourself and leave me here. I'm good as dead anyway". Natsu's voice was weak, he could hear it. He wanted her to run, he knew she wouldn't but he really wished she would.

"No! I'm not leaving you! I won't do it!". She sobbed and shouted causing her voice to crack. Her eyes held nothing but determination.

He knew he couldn't live without her. Maybe she didn't want to live without him either?

Their moment was interrupted by the footfall of Zeref. Natsu tried to force himself to stand, to do something. Anything. But he was too injured. All he could do was lay there as Lucy stood up, shielding him with herself.

"Lucy really? Do you have to be so melodramatic. It really doesn't suit you." Natsu clenched his fist at the sound of his brothers voice. He didn't even have time to process the feelings of betrayal, not with Lucy standing bravely in front of him.

"Brother, please. If I done something to hurt you I am sorry but Lucy has nothing to do with this. Let her go."

"You always were pathetic Natsu. You can't face me in a fight so you resort to begging. Your routine has gotten so old over the years. And yes, Lucy has everything to do with this." The last part came out as a hiss but Natsu could only feel confusion.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Of course you don't. You never do. Its always the same, you always end up begging for Lucy's life and I always end up killing her anyway. It gets so boring."

"Lucy is innocent!" Natsu shouted.

"So was Mavis! But did anyone show her mercy? No! So why should I show any to you? Of course none of this matters anyway. You won't remember any of it." Zeref was shouting and Natsu had to stop himself from flinching. He had never heard Zeref shout before.

"You wanna kill me? Fine. But I won't be making it easy for you." Lucy hissed and while Natsu could only see her back he could picture the shining of her eyes as she got into her fighting stance.

She didn't even last a minute before Zeref chopped off her arm and whispered something in her ear before walking away. It took Natsu all of his strength to drag himself to her.

Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open. She was completely lifeless. Lucy was always many things. Weird, annoying, stubborn, brave, kind and beautiful beyond compare but lifeless? Never. Not his Lucy. It felt so wrong that the glint in her eyes was no longer there. There was nothing he could do to dull the throbbing in his chest or the lump in his throat as a tortured sobbed broke from his lips. He wrapped himself around her, as though he could still protect her if he just held on tight enough. Her blood covered his arms but he hardly noticed.

Natsu closed his eyes and prayed for death to take him soon so he could be with Lucy once more.

Death never came for him, but his brother did.

* * *

Happy woke up feeling strangely warm. The smell of smoked fish filled his nostrils and made his stomach groan as he opened his eyes.

"Awake at last I see." Happy looked for the unfamiliar voice only to see a white cat standing above him with her hands on her hips. "What were you thinking? You could have died flying in those conditions. If my dear Wendy didn't possess healing magic you probably would have."

"Carla I think he knows how silly he was now, we should let him rest." The blue haired girl smiled at her Cat fondly and it reminded Happy of how Natsu and Lucy smiled at him.

Happy couldn't hold in the tears that fell.

"I just wanted to help them. I am so useless but I just want to help my family."

"Aww that's so sweet. Don't say that you are useless. The fact you even want to help and would risk your life doing so is very heroic." The girl he thought must be named Wendy whispered while stroking his head.

"Very heroic but very stupid." Carla added. "What is you name?"

"My name is Happy."

"What's your families names?" Wendy asked

"Natsu and Lucy. Lucy is missing and Natsu won't wake up. I thought that if I found Lucy she could wake him up."

"Is this Natsu sick?"

"I don't know." Happy shook his head. What could have made Natsu so sick that he wouldn't wake up?

"I can take a look at him for you? If he is sick I could probably heal him." Happy decided that he very much liked Wendy and Carla.

"Please! I can take you to him right now!" Happy stood up before instantly falling back down again.

"Not in that condition you won't! You need food and rest first."

Happy reluctantly agreed. He was not help to his family if he was dead. Still, he had hope now. Something that was becoming more and more sparse as time went on.

* * *

Natsu's body shook and twitched while he slept. He alternated between violent shivering and fierce amounts of sweat. The occasional mumbles of Lucy's name fell from his lips in various tones. The black patterns moved against his skin to the point where they almost completely covered him in some moments.

His claws would sharpen and retract causing his blankets to become shredded. A few times they tore into his skin and blood would trickle down and stain the mattress and blankets before the wound knitted back together.

He screamed, sobbed and howled as tears leaked from his closed eyes. His body was now the only occupant of the room as Zeref had vacated to his laboratory with frequent visits to the dungeon.

Natsu's body went completely still. Anyone watching might have thought he died. But there was no one watching.

Then slowly, his eyes opened.

* * *

A/N

I am so sorry for kind of going MIA for so long! I know not all of you read my other stories but I explained myself there!

I really hope this chapter was worth the wait!

Also I have been asked by a few people in private messages and in reviews for a timeline so I will do my best to type it but I will warn that my drawn version is much more in depth and makes more sense!

I am also doing a Zeref POV chapter soon that explains the entire timeline from start to finish (although its from his point of view it will hopefully answer any questions)

Basically the timeline is in the order it is written

So in chapter 6 it reveals that Lucy and Natsu's first lives was 200 years ago from that point of the story and Natsu was thirteen and Lucy was twelve that the time of the chapter. So at this point in the story their first life was more than 200 years ago.

After that they have had 7 life's together including the one this story has been based around with Lucy dying and Natsu being put back in the tube in all the lives before. So 8 lives in total however there was a few Lucy's in between that Zeref just outright killed out of anger. Those lives all happened in the same order that Natsu remembered them. Each life they died before they turned 25 and each time they had to wait for Lucy to reincarnate and then also the approx. 9 months of pregnancy before she would be born so there is actually amounts of time in between each life although the amount of time differs with how long her soul takes to heal after death.

So yeah I hope this helped a bit to anyone who was confused although this will all be explained later in greater detail. I was actually tempted to put the Zeref pic chapter instead of this chapter but that just didn't feel right. I have a set outline for this story and I know where that chapter needs to go for it to have the most impact and make the most sense (or at least I think I do but I might just be biased)

Anyway this A/N is already far to long but I do hope it helped clear up some confusion even if I am not to good at explaining it without it being from Zeref's pov!

Lots of love and well wishes!

Please R/R to help keep me motivated!


	20. Chapter 19

The sky was clearer then it had been in days though the soil was still damp underneath her feet. She could hear the dampness and the sound it gave to her footsteps with every one she took. Still, Lucy couldn't help the feeling that all she had done since she left her home was a colossal waste of time.

She hadn't slept in a decent bed in what felt like forever. She hadn't had a proper bath and she missed Natsu. She missed him so much that it hurt to think about. What had kept her going was the fact that she truly believed she would be able to protect him. Find the person who killed her family and do away with them quickly then return home and live a happy and carefree life.

All she had was a cryptic message from a stranger, aching feet and a hand full of dead ends. All of it was just a waste of time and energy.

"Lucy, are you okay? You aren't acting like yourself". Lucy felt Gray's hand on her shoulder and couldn't help but smile when she seen the look of concern etched into his and Erza's faces.

Well, maybe not all of it was a waste of time.

"Yeah I'm fine. Just A bit disappointed I guess. The fact that I miss Natsu and Happy doesn't really help much either".

"Tell ya what. After we go to the castle and sort out everything, we will go on more adventures like this. We will bring Natsu with us and we will travel every town we come across until we find out the truth about what happened. Sound good?" Gray and Erza both smiled at her and her chest swelled with so much love for her new friends that it leaked from her eyes.

"You guys are the best. I'm so glad I met you both." Lucy forced the words passed the lump that formed in her throat and threw her arms around both of her new friends.

Nope. Not a waste of time at all.

"So what are you going to do when you finally see your demon again".

"I'm going to tackle him and Happy into the biggest hug ever."

"I still can't believe you have missed your cat so much". Erza shook her head but the soft smile didn't leave her face.

"I miss my whole family. I miss Levy and Gajeel and Zeref too."

Erza and Gray once again shared a look that Lucy didn't understand but before she could question it Erza spoke again.

"You haven't really spoken about them much. We hardly know anything about any of the, save for Natsu."

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "Talking about them just makes me miss them more. You will both love them though. I can't wait for you to meet them".

The three fell into a comfortable silence for a while as they walked. Although Lucy couldn't quite understand why her stomach felt so strange.

* * *

Natsu clenched his fist and tried desperately to control the shaking of his body and the quickness of his breaths. Tears burned in his eyes and his head was throbbing as he tried to make sense of everything he now knew.

His brother. His own brother had destroyed everything he held dear, over and over and over again.

He wanted to scream but controlled himself. He needed to be smarter this time. He needed to beat his brother at his own twisted game.

He couldn't beat him in a physical fight. His new memories had told him as much. In a battle of wits Zeref had the upper hand.

There was one thing he had this time that he didn't have any other time. He knew what Zeref was planning. He would hold that knowledge and use it in any way he could.

Zeref didn't know that he knew. He could play dumb. Pretend that he knew nothing then strike when his brother didn't expect it. He had to win this time. If he didn't then he would just end up back at square one being Zeref's pawn with the next rebirth of Lucy. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth until he threw up. Nothing but bile.

He heard the click of his door. The only warning he had that someone was entering his room.

"You're finally awake. How do you feel?" His brothers words almost sounded concerned but his expression was calculating. It was assessing, looking for any dishonesty.

"Like shit honestly. How long was I out for?" He couldn't be caught out for lying if he didn't lie.

"Over a month. You worried me a lot."

"Do you know why, because honestly sleeping for a month doesn't seem normal to me." Natsu pushed down the urge the lunge for his brothers throat.

"No. Now that you're awake we can run some test. Can you walk?"

Natsu tried to stand up but his legs felt so weak. "I'll be able to soon. Just let me stretch for a minute. Has... Has Lucy come back at all?" He hoped she hadn't. He'd rather she never came back if it meant she would be safe.

"No. No she hasn't. I'm sorry. We need to run these test to find out what is going on with you and Gajeel is still searching for Lucy." His brother held our his hand and Natsu took it, wanting nothing more then to crush it with his own as he was pulled from the bed.

He stumbled but he still managed to walk. He suspected that, had he been human, he would have been able to take a single step.

He followed closely after Zeref, debating hitting him in the back of the head but deciding against it. He needed his strength back. He needed more time.

"Where are we going?" He tried not to sound to suspicious but even he could hear the mistrust in his own voice as he spoke.

"To my lab, to run some test."

"You've never let me in your lab before."

"You've never suddenly fallen asleep and been unable to wake up before."

As he followed after his brother his legs screamed at him to turn around and run away. Every muscle in his body felt tense. He was like a cornered animal. When they arrived at the door he had to force himself to walk through the threshold. He wished he didn't.

As soon as he stepped inside Zeref locked the door behind him.

"I need to you step inside that tube Natsu." Zeref pointed to it... The thing that held all Natsu's worst memories and stole them away.

Natsu could feel the sweat dripping down his forehead as he held his fist at his side.

"No thankyou. I don't think I need any tests after all." His heart was racing and his hands twitched.

Zeref smiled maliciously. His eyes looked wild and cold and his teeth sharper then they had before. "I knew it." Then he pounced, like a lion would towards it's prey.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't mind stopping when we are so close?" Erza said as they walked into the pub.

She couldn't believe how different it felt from the last time she had walked through the doors. Last time she was nervous and scared and ready to travel alone. Now she was returning home.

"I don't mind. It's better to take a quick break than to pass out on the walk because we let ourselves become too dehydrated. It's only for half an hour right?"

The three of them sat at a table and ordered their drinks. Only Erza ordered actual food in the form of strawberry cake.

"Oh sweet deliciousness, how I have missed you so!" She exclaimed dramatically after the first bite. Lucy couldn't help but laugh, despite the feeling of unease that coursed through her body.

"You back bunny girl?" A gruff voice spoke from behind her. "You know I've been looking for you. You haven't been easy to track."

"Gajeel!" Lucy smiled but the demon did not seem to be as happy to see her as she was to see him so she just coughed and continued. "Yeah I am back. Just having a small rest before going to the castle."

"Not good enough. You are coming to the castle now." He growled at her. Why was he acting this way? They were friends and he was looking at her as though she was the worst thing to ever exist. He reached out to grab her arm and she pulled away.

"No. I will go home when I want to but you do not get to boss me around. Why are you behaving this way?"

"I said we are going now. You can either come with me or I can make you."

Gray looked as though he was going to stand but Erza beat him to it, standing between Lucy and Gajeel as she did.

"She said she will go to the castle and she will. In half an hour after we have all rested and gained our strength back. I suggest you wait for her there." Erza spoke firmly but with every word her body language spoke danger. She was a dangerous person and would not leave any room for argument.

Except Gajeel always loved to argue.

"Or what?"

"Listen buddy." Gray started and Gajeel interrupted to inform him that they were not buddies at all but Gray just continued as though he hadn't spoken. "You have no chance against the three of us. I highly doubt you would stand a chance against even one of us. Go wait at the castle and Lucy will be there soon. Or you can keep being a dick and we will just take longer and run the risk of Erza beating you senseless."

Gajeel looked like he was about to argue, then his shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh.

"Do you promise me you will be there within the hour? Would you swear it on Levy?" Something in his face told Lucy that there was more he wanted to say. Something in his eyes told Lucy that he was- for whatever reason- completely desperate. She didn't question it, she knew if she did she wouldn't get any answers anyway.

"I promise. I am coming home, the walk here was long and exhausting. We just want to rest before we get to the castle. You know Natsu, the moment I get home he is going to want to hang out and going flying and do all sorts of things. I'd rather not be dead on my feet for that."

Gajeel nodded and walked away.

"You said he was your friend right? He doesn't act like one." Gray whispered, returning to his seat.

Lucy shook her head, staring at the door that Gajeel had just walked out of. "Something is going on. Gajeel has always been rough around the edges but... the vibe he was just giving off. Something just isn't right."

"Lucy! Thank God you are back!" Lucy turned her head to see Cana running towards her from the bar, carrying a strange book.

"Can we not just sit down in peace?" Gray mumbled as Cana sat at the table.

"I have been here every day hoping you would come in." Cana mumbled as she looked around. She looked tired.

"You'd be here every day anyway. I know how much you love an ice cold glass of alcohol." Lucy giggled and tried to lighten the mood but Cana only shook her head.

"Haven't been drinking. Couldn't risk losing this." Cana nodded to her book, held tightly to her chest.

"Cana, what's wrong?" Lucy placed a hand on her friends shoulder and realized she was shaking.

"I have been having dreams. Terrible dreams that always feel so real... I done some digging and found this book".

Before Lucy could ask any questions Cana set the book on the table and opened it. To a picture of Lucy and Natsu walking through the village, holding hands and laughing.

Lucy touched the picture and smiled.

"I don't even remember this being taken." She really didn't. She didn't even know any photos of her and Natsu together existed.

"You wouldn't. That book is over sixty years old."

"That's impossible. The photo must be fake." Lucy's brows pinched together and her lips pressed tightly.

"It's as real as I am." Cana whispered firmly. "I don't know what's going on but I am not stupid and I know you aren't either. In all my dreams you end up being stabbed by a demon. I can never see his face and I can never make out a where you are but I seen the knife go through your stomach and you fall to the floor. I'm worried about you."

Lucy sat silently as she considered Cana's words, her stomach churning. She felt more confused then ever As she tried to piece together all she knew. The photo, the dreams that she had and the dreams that Cana had too.

Maybe she was living on borrowed time after all.

"We need to go to the castle. I'll talk to Zeref and he will help us. Cana, can you keep the book safe? In case I need to look through it again".

Cana nodded and Lucy stood up to walk from the bar with Gray and Erza following behind her. The walk was silent until the castle came into view. Then Erza spoke.

"Lucy I need to tell you something. Zeref isn't who you think he is and I think he is the demon who stabs you in that girls dreams".

Lucy halted. "Cana. And no. Zeref is family, he would never hurt anyone especially not me".

"Lucy... We have been lying to you about our intentions. Zeref has hurt people. He turned the man I love into a demon and he tortured me. He is a monster and we are going to take him out."

Every word felt like a knife through Lucy's heart. Her friends. Her knew family... It was all a lie. Her tears and anger followed the heartbreak.

"You're lying! Zeref if my brother... You!" She point her finger from Erza to Gray and back again. "You were both using me! Lying to me!"

"Lucy, please try to understand what we are saying. We think Zeref means you a great amount of harm. He kidnapped you for crying out loud! He might have even been the one who killed your family. We want you to help us. To fight along side us". Gray reached out an arm to touch her shoulder but she pulled away.

"No. I won't let you hurt any of my family! I won't let you step foot into that castle!" Lucy shouted and went to reach for her keys. Before she could grab them Erza hit her on top on the head. Dizziness overtook her and her vision faded. She could feel arms around her stopping her from hitting the ground.

"I am so so sorry Lucy. Please forgive me." Was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness completely.

* * *

A/N

Sorry for the long time it took me to update. For anyone reading this who doesn't follow DDTTS I will provide an explanation. As many of you may know, the country of Australia is currently riddled with fires. They have torn through the state's of NSW and QLD and most of them are not controlled

Well I live in NSW.

The air at the moment is thick with smoke.

I am one of the lucky ones who hasn't had to evacuate but it's been touch and go. I have bags packed and ready just incase I need to leave without much notice.

The sky is grey. Even during day time. When it isn't grey it looks red.

People have lost their homes and their lives and our Prime Minister is incompetent.

So please my beautiful readers, forgive my lack of updates, your patience is honestly so appreciate. I have been trying and writing is an amazing distraction but my internet isn't the best and my country is burning. I'm heartbroken and scared.

I love you all and wish you all the best and to any readers in Australia please stay safe.

Lots of love and well wishes to all of you xx


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